Play With Me
by A Darker Shade
Summary: Reno has been captured by Yazoo and Loz who are both bored, and looking for ways to pass the time... Slash Reno/Yazoo with some Yazoo/Loz. Rated M.
1. Not Sharing

**A Renzoo story - although Yazoo/Loz at the start. **

**Rated M. Yaoi. **

**Don't own, etc.**

**Please R&R.

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Play With Me

Not Sharing

"But we always share everything!" protested Loz, his bottom lip thrust forward like a sulky toddler. The petulant expression looked absurd on the handsome, strongly built man, and Yazoo had to suppress a giggle. Instead he tossed back his long silver hair and shot Loz a withering look.

"Not anymore. You _break _your toys. I've decided I want to keep this one. This one's mine, and I like it, and I don't want you spoiling it."

"Oh come on Yazoo! Just one go! I'll be careful."

"No."

"But it's not fair!"

Yazoo sighed. "Go and get your own. What about the big one, where I got mine? More your size, after all. You might not break that, for a while at least."

"But I like yours. It looks so…soft. So pretty. Can't I just…"

"No." Yazoo smiled. "Anyway, it's run out of energy now. They can't keep going long. I think I played with it a little too much. Leave it, for now."

"Then _you_ play with me, Yazoo. I'm bored."

Yazoo sighed, but he looked at his brother with some pity in his wide green eyes. It _was_ boring, waiting in this dank cave while they waited for Kadaj to come back to them. "All right, Loz. If you like." Yazoo's slow smile made Loz's eyes glitter. "What do you want to play?"

"You wanna fight?" Loz loved fighting, almost as much as…

"Oh Loz – I'm tired."

"Yeah – because you wore yourself out playing with that!" Loz couldn't resist a quick glance into the corner where Yazoo's toy lay discarded. "If you won't share the least you can do is play what I want now!" Loz all but stamped his foot. Yazoo gave Loz a resigned smile because he knew his older brother well and understood the frustration he must be feeling. "All right Loz. We'll play your game. Shall I get Velvet?"

"No, just us. Hand to hand."

"All right. If you think you can…"

"Easily, _little_ brother!"

Yazoo beckoned Loz to him. As soon as the bigger brother lunged forward Yazoo back-flipped out of range, catching Loz's jaw with the toe of his boot as he did so. Loz snarled as his head snapped back, but he recovered and kept coming. Yazoo was ready for him now, blocking Loz's vicious jab with his left arm, then ducking and jumping forward to grab Loz behind the knee and pull. Losing balance, Loz fell heavily, landing on his back. Before he could flip upright Yazoo was on him, laughing, lying full length on his brother's firm body, long hair falling around Loz's face. "Is this how you want to play?" murmured Yazoo, his mouth almost on Loz's.

Loz froze for an instant, then gave a violent twist, seizing Yazoo's unresisting hands and rolling him over so that he lay on his back on the hard ground, pinned by the bigger man's weight. Yazoo gave a breathless laugh and wriggled provocatively, thrusting his pelvis upwards so that Loz could be in no doubt about his arousal. That was all it ever took: Yazoo could always win any fight with Loz like this. Yazoo watched Loz's bright eyes darken with lust. "I seem to be between a rock and a hard place," he laughed. "You get so hard, so fast, Loz… I like that."

Loz groaned and pressed his mouth against Yazoo's, fierce and bruising. Yazoo kissed him deeply, slowly – and then bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Loz yelped and Yazoo took advantage of his distraction, throwing him sideways, jumping to his feet and launching himself through the air. He landed gracefully beside his sprawled brother. Before Loz could struggle upright, Yazoo was on him again, straddling him, pushing down hard. Loz half sat up, taking Yazoo with him, and held his brother, one hand on Yazoo's back, the other caressing his throat.

Yazoo put his gloved hand against Loz's cheek and drew him into another long kiss, gentle this time and designed to seduce. He ran the other hand through Loz's short silver hair and murmured soft words against his mouth. "Oh Loz, my strong, handsome brother, how you make me want you!"

"Do you love me, Yazoo?" Loz asked, between kisses.

"Of course. Always."

"I thought – now you've got your new toy, your might not want to play with me any more."

"Loz! I will always want you. It's a different kind of game, that's all."

"Will you - like the other day? It felt so good…"

"Yes. Lie down," Yazoo whispered, stroking his fingers along Loz's strong jaw line, down his throat, along his chest and lower…lower. With his tongue he followed the electric trail left by the pressure of his fingers, making Loz moan with desire. Yazoo pressed his cheek against the soft leather of Loz's pants feeling the heat of his brother's hard cock against his skin. With skilful fingers he unzipped the supple material and licked the impressive length of Loz's shaft before taking the head into his mouth. Loz closed his eyes and groaned with the pleasure of feeling Yazoo's warm, wet mouth enveloping him. He reached down to tangle his fingers in Yazoo's long, soft hair, trying to control the urge to thrust too hard.

"Ah, Yazoo, damn that's good!" Loz exclaimed breathlessly. Yazoo sucked harder, his tongue teasing Loz's most sensitive places. He knew exactly what to do to make Loz lose control: in his experience Loz never took very long. Yazoo felt Loz's fingers tighten in his hair, and knew the end was close. Loz shuddered, cried out, "Oh fuck, Yaz!" and came hard into Yazoo's mouth. Yazoo swallowed and looked up at Loz, smiling. "Better now?

"Oh yeah, yeah," panted Loz, still gasping with the force of his climax. Yazoo watched him, loving the scale of his glorious body and the abandoned way he lost himself so totally when he came.

Gathering Yazoo into his arms, Loz kissed him tenderly. "Shall I...?"

"No, I'm all right, Loz. I like doing that for you. Sleep now."

"Sure?" But Loz's eyes were already heavy. Yazoo went with him to the corner of the cave where they had piled blankets and pillows together to form a makeshift bed. Lying beside his brother, Yazoo held Loz for a while, and stroked his hair. Only when he was sure that his big brother was sleeping soundly did he slip out of the bed and move quietly to the far corner where his toy still lay.

Taking off his gloves, Yazoo smiled as he considered the pale, fragile creature. Reaching down he grabbed a handful of soft, red hair and pulled – not too hard, but hard enough.

"Wake up, my little Turk," he murmured. "I want to play my games, now."

Reno lay still, hoping that the long-haired remnant would assume he was still under. He had come round some time ago – in time to watch through half-closed eyes as Yazoo did things to Loz that no brothers should do – and even through the haze of pain inflicted by Yazoo's earlier 'games', Reno had felt turned on by the sight. He didn't know why – intellectually he hated Yazoo with a passion. It was just that his body didn't seem to understand that.

Ever since the two brothers had caught him – about three days ago he thought, although the constant beatings by Yazoo meant that he'd spent quite a lot of that time unconscious – Reno had been made to fight the younger brother. He always lost, of course, but he always tried, because Yazoo was a master of provocation and knew how to get him so damn mad that he couldn't do the sensible thing and just play dead. When Yazoo had beaten him into a stupor – again – the bothers would leave him where he'd fallen for a while, then Yazoo would haul him to his feet and force a potion into his mouth, or apply the cure materia until he seemed recovered and most of the bruises had faded.

Sometimes Yazoo would leave him alone then, and he would crawl into a corner and try to sleep. He had learned that escape was impossible: only one of the brothers ever slept at a time, and he was no match for either of them in strength or speed. Reno knew that whenever Yazoo fought him he was always holding back. If Yazoo had wanted him dead, he would have been dead three days ago. Yes, Reno hated Yazoo. And yet, watching the beautiful remnant's skilful seduction of his brother, Reno had felt disturbingly, painfully aroused.

Yazoo ran his fingers through Reno's soft hair, then pulled hard. Reno couldn't stifle a gasp, and Yazoo laughed softly.

"Oh good! I thought you were awake. Did you enjoy the show?"

"You're disgusting!" Reno spat.

Yazoo leaned down, his breath warm against Reno's ear. "Well, probably," he murmured. "But did you _enjoy_ it?"

"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?" Reno knew that was a question you never asked. They taught you that in interrogation training, because in the case of a frustrated kidnapper or a psychotic personality, you might just be taken at your word. Yazoo only laughed, however, and said, "But really, beautiful, where would be the fun in that?"

"Yeah, 'cause this has been fun all the way so far," snapped Reno.

"Oh, you don't think so?" Yazoo sounded disappointed and amused at the same time. "But you did so well! That's why I chose you. When we were here last time, you were the only one who got some good punches in." He smiled, remembering. "You even kicked me in the head. Wasn't that even a little bit…satisfying?"

Reno had never heard a word pronounced with so much pure lasciviousness. He hated Yazoo, and yet the creature seemed to have some strange seductive power over him. Why else would Reno find his eyes drawn to that suggestively smiling mouth? Why else did he feel so short of oxygen when Yazoo was near to him?

I can't remember," he snarled with as much venom in his voice as he could muster given the proximity of the remnant's beautiful face to his own. "Why don't I kick you a few more times, and I'll let you know just how satisfying it is!"

Yazoo laid a slender finger against Reno's lips. "Shh. I think we've fought enough, don't you? His finger traced a path up Reno's cheek, following the curving line of the red tattoo that emphasised the Turk's high cheekbone.

"Oh - so pretty," whispered Yazoo. He smiled, gazing into Reno's blue-green eyes. "Kiss me?"

Reno shivered at the softly murmured question, shocked to find himself growing hard. He narrowed his eyes and said, "What the fuck?" as much in response to his own arousal as to Yazoo's words. Yazoo seemed completely unfazed by Reno's hostile tone. "Don't worry," the remnant said, smiling, "We can get on to the fucking later…" He leaned forward and kissed Reno who started to pull back automatically – then found that he didn't want to because Yazoo's kisses were the most erotic he had ever known. Instead, Reno found himself reaching up to pull Yazoo closer to him, knowing he should be pushing him away, but just…unable to. Yazoo drew back, smiling. Reno gasped, moved forward, not wanting the contact broken. Yazoo's expression was all provocation – cool teasing. "More?" he purred.

"Mmmm." Reno's mouth found Yazoo's again, eager and shameless. Somewhere at the back of his mind he knew he should be feeling anger or disgust, but all he actually felt was burning lust. Yazoo's mouth was cool against his own; his lips were soft, and he tasted so damned good…How was that possible, given what he'd just been doing with Loz? Even that idea, which would have appalled Reno a few minutes ago, only fuelled the feverish desire he felt with Yazoo's mouth on his own. Reno experienced a flash of jealousy at the memory of Yazoo sucking off his brother so tenderly. He pulled back just a fraction and whispered, "What about Loz? Aren't you worried he'll mind?"

"Loz," murmured Yazoo, flicking his tongue over Reno's lower lip, "is asleep." Reno opened his mouth to let Yazoo inside, and the remnant's tongue slid against his own, kissing him so deeply that he felt dizzy with need. Yazoo's right hand was still tangled in Reno's hair, and now he trailed his left slowly down the Turk's torso, brushing a nipple with long, cool fingers, then moving down until he grasped Reno's hard cock through his lose suit pants.

Yazoo began to rub lazily, and Reno moaned into his mouth. Yazoo smiled, broke the kiss, and said softly, "Are you jealous of Loz? I only did that to send him to sleep you know. I've been wanting to do this since the first time I saw you."

Reno pressed his body against Yazoo's, hot and longing, and reached for Yazoo's cock – a hard, tight bulge beneath the close-fitting leathers. Yazoo hissed as Reno's fingers unzipped him deftly and found hard flesh. Reno felt the button of his fly slip open and heard the zip. Then Yazoo's cool hand was on his skin, slender fingers teasing his balls for a moment, then touching firmly, squeezing his cock in ways that felt so good Reno could only groan with pleasure. Reno buried his face against Yazoo's throat, licking and kissing his smooth skin as they stroked and rubbed each other, finding a rhythm that brought them both to the brink and held them there, trembling for a release they both desired and yet wanted to delay. The still, close air of the cave muffled the little gasps and moans that escaped them both. At last Yazoo pulled Reno's hair again, gently this time, bringing his head up for a long, deep kiss. Then Reno felt Yazoo's lips against his ear as he whispered, "Come for me, Turk," and squeezed just hard enough. Reno came, moaning, the intensity of his orgasm magnified when Yazoo shuddered against him a moment later, and he felt the hot, wet pulse of the remnant's release against his hand.

Then Yazoo was gone from him, walking nonchalantly back towards the corner where Loz lay sleeping. As soon as the beautiful remnant was a few paces away from him, Reno's mind became his own again, and he stared down at his sticky hand aghast. Wiping his hand clean on his shirt – because there really wasn't anything else to use – the Turk shuddered at the thought of what he'd just done.

Yazoo smiled at him as he sat gracefully beside his brother where he would keep watch until Loz woke. "That was fun, Turk," he said softly. "I suggest you get some sleep – while you can. I like playing with you."

Reno made no reply – only turned away and curled up in the corner feeling sick. How was he ever going to get out of this? Yazoo only had to approach him and his will was no longer his own.

Eventually exhaustion overcame Reno, despite the hard, rock-strewn floor of the cave and the cold, damp air. He slept fitfully, waking after a scant couple of hours to the sound of low voices. Keeping very still, Reno listened, the Turk in him knowing that intelligence was power, no matter how desperate the situation seemed.

Loz was sobbing quietly, and Yazoo's low voice was murmuring words of comfort.

"But what if he _doesn't_?" wailed Loz. "What are we going to _do_?"

"Hush," said Yazoo firmly. "He'll come back. _We _came back, didn't we? The lifestream sent us all back – you, me and big brother - so why not Kadaj? We _died _– but we're here now, aren't we?"

"Then why hasn't he _found_ us? We need him. He knows what to do!"

"I know!" For the first time Yazoo's voice sounded a little unsteady too. "But say he doesn't come back…" Loz gave a whimper at the thought, and through half-closed eyes Reno saw Yazoo put his arms around his brother in an entirely non-sexual way. "Loz – listen. I think he _will _come back – I'm _sure_ he will – but if he doesn't we'll be all right. We can find somewhere to live. We can decide what to do. I'll look after you Loz, I promise." Loz clung to his smaller brother. Yazoo glanced towards Reno. "The Turk knows things about how to live in the city. We can make him help us."

"Yes, Yaz, we'll be all right, won't we? You're nearly as clever as Kadaj – and I'm strong. You will look after me, won't you? And I'll look after you, because I love you."

"I love you too!"

Loz buried his face against Yazoo's shoulder, and in the dim light Reno saw Yazoo stroke his brother's hair. The younger remnant's angelic face wore an expression Reno had never seen on any of the Sephiroth remnants before – a look of barely controlled panic. For the briefest instant Reno found himself feeling sorry for his demonic captor.


	2. You're Pretty, But You're Mean

**Thank you to those who reviewed and favourited this story. **

**Rather less sex in this chapter to make room for plot. Sorry! Plenty more to come in future instalments though, I'm sure.**

**Warnings: if you got through Chapter 1 unscathed, you'll be fine here...**

**I'm re-uploading this chapter, because for some reason it doesn't seem to load properly - sorry if this happened to you.**

**Please R&R if you have time.**

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You're Pretty, But You're Mean.

When Reno woke the next morning he found Loz keeping watch while Yazoo slept. The older brother sat beside his smaller sibling, looking down at Yazoo with soft, adoring eyes. Reno wanted to laugh at the incongruously sentimental expression on Loz's strong face, until he followed the direction of his gaze and saw for himself how beautiful Yazoo looked: dark lashes closed on his pale cheeks; silver hair falling around his face; his usually arrogant features softened and rendered vulnerable by sleep…

Reno gave himself a mental shake, knowing that for a moment his own expression had probably been as sickeningly sappy as Loz's.

When his stomach began to grumble, Reno was forced to think about the fact that he'd been given nothing but water for the last three days. The damp air in the cave wasn't helping his mood either, and he was desperate for a cigarette. Reno coughed and Loz glared at him. "Don't!" he whispered. "You'll wake Yazoo."

"Huh! Like I'm coughing for my own amusement, yo!" snorted Reno, coughing again and making every attempt _not_ to be quiet. "And we wouldn't want Princess Yazoo to go without her beauty sleep, would we now?"

Loz looked confused, not sure whether or not that was an insult. Yazoo _was_ beautiful, after all, and he _did_ need to sleep. But the Turk's tone was sarcastic, Loz suspected. He didn't fully understand sarcasm. Kadaj used it a lot, and it seemed to be Yazoo's default mode, but Loz preferred things simple and direct.

Loz considered Yazoo's toy. The Turk looked… nice, he thought. Not beautiful like Yazoo, but somehow … attractive. He would be so much fun to play with, and it wasn't fair that Yazoo was being so possessive. That red hair would feel good wound in his fingers – that pale skin would bruise so easily…Yes, the little Turk was _cute_ – was…

Reno glared at Loz, sick of his staring. "_What_?" he snapped.

"I'm trying to think of the right word for you," said Loz, honestly. Reno laughed nastily. "Don't try too hard," he sneered. "Might break something, yo!"

Loz actually looked hurt. "You're pretty, but you're mean!" he concluded, sulking.

Reno shrugged. "Yup – that's me! Pretty and mean." He thought for a moment, and added, "And _hungry_, yo! Really damn hungry. Don't you ever eat?"

Loz shook his head. "What we needed was always provided by the lifestream. Kadaj will know what to do, when he gets here."

"Well something tells me the lifestream's all out of provisions," Reno said. "And us real people – we need to eat. So if you've got anything?"

"Not here," Loz told Reno. "When Kadaj comes, maybe he'll bring food."

"Oh great. So I'm gonna starve on top of everything else!"

"No – you can eat when Kadaj gets here," Loz repeated firmly.

"Look," said Reno, "I know you ain't exactly the sharpest tool in the box, but even you must be workin' it out now: your maniac little brother ain't comin' back! So you better deal, and figure out what you and the princess are gonna do."

"Kadaj _is_ coming back!" Loz shouted.

"Shh! You'll wake Yazoo!"

Reno couldn't believe it when Loz actually flinched, and looked down at his brother guiltily. "Sorry!" he whispered. Reno grinned, then sighed. Really it was no fun teasing Loz. It was like picking on a toddler – just made him feel mean, like Loz had said. Reno shook his head and for a second – just a second – found himself wishing that Yazoo would wake up and give him someone to spar with – verbally or physically, he didn't care. If there was one thing Reno found harder to take than hunger, it was boredom.

Reno glanced around the cave, but it was empty of everything except rocks and the pile of blankets the remnants used as their bed. Reno shivered, the cold, damp air beginning to feel as though it were trying to crawl into his bones for warmth.

"For fuck's sake! We can't just stay here. You have to make a decision about what you're gonna do, yo! Perhaps _you_ can't die, but I can, and I really don't want to, you know?"

"No – you mustn't die." Loz looked anxiously at the Turk. "We might need you later. And Yazoo wouldn't like it if you broke."

"I feel really bad," Reno moaned, exaggerating more than a little. He didn't exactly have a plan worked out, but he wasn't prepared to keep quiet and wait until he became so weak from hunger that he wouldn't be able to escape if the chance came.

Loz picked up one of the blankets and threw it at Reno. "Get warm," he ordered. "When Yazoo wakes up, I'll see if I can find some food for you. There's not much around here."

"Why?" asked Reno, wrapping himself in the blanket, relieved at the welcome warmth it brought. Trying to keep his voice casual, he asked, "Where are we?"

"The Northern Cave," Loz replied.

Reno stared at him. "No fucking way! How did we get here?"

"You were unconscious. Yazoo stole a helicopter."

"A chopper?" Reno's hope flared. If only he could get to it…

"Yeah," said Loz. "But it's at the bottom of the crater now. We couldn't get it inside the cave." His expression was bewildered, as he remembered. "Before – when we were here – we could do anything we needed to. But now it's hard. Yazoo worked out how to fly it, but it was…difficult."

"Really?" Reno aimed for a friendlier tone now, gleaning information. "Well – it's not that easy flying a chopper. I should know, yo! So – what – you tried to land inside the cave?"

"Yeah. Only the entrance was too small. So Yazoo flew really close, and I jumped – and it looked so easy, but I nearly fell into the crater. And…and Yazoo saw, and he jumped straight after me – and he nearly fell too. I caught him – but I…I nearly missed." Loz looked as though he might start crying again. "Then the helicopter hit the wall of the crater and went down."

"Rough, yo!" exclaimed Reno, with only partially feigned sympathy. He remembered falling from the helicopter Yazoo had destroyed with his bike – and that hadn't been fun. Well – maybe a _bit_ fun, in retrospect… "So – what? You can't jump like you used to be able to, huh?"

"No. It's weird. It's like – we can still do things, but not as good as before. It's like with the –"

"Shut up Loz!" hissed Yazoo, his green eyes flicking open, and his expression gone cold and cruel again. "Didn't I say tell him nothing!"

"Sorry," mumbled Loz, looking at the cave floor. Yazoo rose gracefully to his feet and wrapped a slender arm around Loz's waist. His eyes were on Reno, though, as he said in a gentler tone, "It's all right Loz. You can't help it." Yazoo put a hand on his taller brother's cheek, drawing his head down until their lips met in a soft kiss. The longhaired remnant smiled at Reno, then kissed Loz again, hard and lustful this time, running his hands down Loz's back, squeezing his firm arse. Reno rolled his eyes and said, "Oh for Gaia's sake, get a room!"

Yazoo turned back to face him, still smiling but his green eyes burning with malice.

"But you know you love to watch, Turk," he said. "That's what spies like you do, isn't it? Watch things you shouldn't – listen to conversations that are none of your business – try to make people talk… like poor Loz here…"

"Ha!" scoffed Reno, "That don't take too much tryin' yo! Not when someone's as dumb as he is…"

Yazoo let go of Loz and crossed the cave floor to Reno, his expression neutral. When he spoke his voice was soft and calm – the epitome of reason – but his eyes held a dangerous gleam. "I hope very much that you aren't speaking disrespectfully about my brother," the remnant said. "Because that would make me…upset."

"Oh I'm sorry! I'd just hate it if I thought I'd upset _you_," Reno managed, although now Yazoo was this close his mind was beginning to lose its grip on his body again, because, seriously, Yazoo was _stunning_…

"You know what? Loz is right," Yazoo said, stroking Reno's cheek casually. "We do seem to have lost some of the abilities we had before. But we're still a lot faster and stronger than you'll ever be."

Reno fought to control his body's responses to Yazoo's presence. Yazoo smiled again, running his fingers over Reno's lips. "Such a gorgeous mouth. But always saying such cruel, sarcastic things!"

"Yeah," agreed Loz, who had moved closer to see what Yazoo was going to do to the Turk. "I told him that. He's pretty, but he's mean!"

"Why?" asked Yazoo. "Did he say something to you while I was asleep?"

"He…" Loz frowned, trying to remember. "He said I wasn't good at thinking – I think - and he called you a princess. And he said I wasn't sharp."

"Did he?" Yazoo's eyes glittered, diamond hard. "That isn't very respectful. Loz – I've changed my mind. You can play with him now, if you like. Show him that we haven't lost _much_ strength. Perhaps show him how sharp you are…" Yazoo's hand suddenly closed around Reno's throat. "Learn to be nice, Turk," he whispered. Then Reno found himself propelled backwards through the air, only to be caught by Loz, who gripped both his arms so tightly he thought the bones would snap.

Yazoo walked up to Reno, not stopping until his body was pressed against the Turk's, crushing him between the two remnants. He kissed Reno's mouth, and once again Reno felt desire coursing through his traitorous body despite his mind's revulsion and the pain of Loz's grip. Yazoo leaned past him to kiss Loz over Reno's shoulder, and said, "Not too hard, now Loz. You can fight him; you can hurt him for all those nasty words, but don't break him. He has to be able to walk, when we leave here, and you're going to be carrying him if he can't. There aren't many potions left." Yazoo put his hand over Loz's on Reno's right arm. "How you're holding him now – that's a little too hard. He's fragile."

Loz loosened his grasp just a fraction.

"More…" Yazoo's tone was gentle and patient, like a parent explaining to a child how to handle a small pet. Reno said, "Hey - I ain't some kinda guineapig, yo!"

"Oh, you are to Loz," said Yazoo, smiling. "That's exactly what you are. Or perhaps a rodent. A mouse – or a rat."

"Better watch I don't bite then," snarled Reno.

"No, you can," commented Loz, behind him. "I'd like that."

Yazoo laughed. "Loz! But that's not the kind of game I want you to play with him. He's mine, for that."

Reno flinched as Loz bit his left shoulder, hard. "But you said to show him how sharp I am… And look…" Loz let go of Reno's left arm and pulled the collar of his ragged shirt aside to show Yazoo the mark he'd made. "He bruises so pretty – so quickly."

With his left arm free, Reno twisted suddenly, shoving Yazoo away. He wrenched his right arm out of Loz's grasp, spinning round to land a fairly powerful left hook on Loz's jaw, followed by a vicious right jab to his stomach and a knee to the groin that made Loz double up, grunting as much with surprise as pain. Pulling back his left arm to strike the back of Loz's head while he was incapacitated, Reno yelped as Yazoo caught his wrist and twisted viciously. He found himself hauled through the air, before landing hard on the cave's rocky floor, Yazoo on top of him. There seemed to be a particularly pointy rock positioned right in the small of Reno's back. Frigging typical!

Yazoo held Reno down easily, both wrists crushed against the cave floor anchored by one of Yazoo's narrow, supernaturally strong hands. But the younger remnant's face was worried as he looked over at Loz and asked, "Are you all right? Did he _hurt_ you?"

Loz sat up, seeming a little dazed. "Yeah," he said, in a puzzled tone. "He did! But he shouldn't've been able…"

"No," agreed Yazoo, turning his green gaze to Reno, his eyes curious. "How did you do that, Turk? I've fought you – and you fight well – but you never actually managed to _hurt_ me. Loz is stronger than I am. You shouldn't be able…" Yazoo stood up, dragging Reno to his feet. Reno sighed with the pleasure of not having the damned rock sticking into him anymore, and said, "Guess you're losing your touch, both of you. I suppose without Jenova, you're just - fading."

"No, that can't be right," said Yazoo, his expression striving for calm. Reno was used to people trying to hide things though, and in Yazoo's eyes he could read traces of the panic he had seen on the previous evening. Suddenly releasing his grip on the Turk, Yazoo said, "All right. Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me. As hard as you can."

Reno didn't need asking twice. With his right hand, because his left wrist was still throbbing from Yazoo's wrenching twist, Reno delivered a lightning hook to the remnant's jaw, feeling a satisfying crunch as his fist made contact. Yazoo's head snapped back, and he gave a little whimper – the first sound of pain Reno had ever heard from him.

"That hurt?" Reno asked.

Yazoo's eyes were wide with shock, and he put his fingers to his split lip, gazing at the blood on them with fascinated horror. Reno realised that Yazoo had never bled before - even when he fought with Cloud at the Forgotten City; even after he and Rude had virtually blown him up – the remnant had never seen his own blood.

"Yes," he whispered, looking at Reno in astonishment. "That hurt!"

Loz approached, staggering slightly, and touched Yazoo's mouth very gently. "He…made you bleed."

"Yes."

"We should kill him. He shouldn't have done that! Let me kill him for you."

It was Reno's turn to panic. As a Turk he faced death constantly, but he really didn't want to die like this – in a dark cave at the ends of the earth, snuffed out on the whim of a crazy Sephiroth remnant who had lost his reason for existing. It wasn't the kind of death he'd imagined.

"He told me to hit him!" exclaimed Reno, sounding like an outraged kid in a playground. Hmm. Those weren't exactly the last words he'd imagined for himself, either. He'd always planned on something sarcastic and cool.

"No," said Yazoo. "I want him alive. We're going to need him."

Loz scowled. Reno tried to look as though he wasn't bothered either way.

Yazoo was looking at Reno oddly. "You…felt like that? Every time I hit you?"

"Well, not every time, yo! I mean, I got some good blocks in, and –" Reno's words were cut off by Yazoo's mouth pressed against his own in a warm kiss. Reno tasted blood, but he didn't care; he was instantly on fire, just as before. But Yazoo was different now – not lustful, but concerned. Wiping his own blood from Reno's lips with gentle fingers, Yazoo murmured, "I didn't know. We didn't used to feel pain, like that. How can you…how can you bear it?"

"It's my job to bear it. And anyway, what choice do I have? I'm human, yo."

"You're so much stronger than I thought, little Turk."

Yazoo looked across to his brother, who was still glaring at Reno. "Loz – I know he hurt us, but we do need him. Go outside, and see if you can find any food. We're going to have to leave here."

"No. We have to wait for Kadaj."

"Loz – we could've been wrong. Perhaps Kadaj has gone back to the Forgotten City. He could be waiting for us there."

Hope glowed in the bigger remnant's eyes. "Yeah – you're right!" he replied, excitedly. "Okay – we'll go. And we'll keep the Turk alive a bit longer, just in case we need him. He's mean, and he hurts, and I don't care how pretty he is anymore - but he can stay alive for now. When we find Kadaj, I bet _he'll_ let me kill him."

Yazoo watched silently as Loz made his way to the passage that led to the cave entrance. Reno looked at the younger remnant. "You know Kadaj isn't coming back, don't you?" he asked.

Yazoo nodded sadly. He leant his forehead against Reno's for a moment, and the Turk wondered if the remnant would cry, but he only sighed and said, "I know." Then he moved away slightly, and Reno's mind was his own again, but he found that he still felt strangely sorry for Yazoo. "I wish you'd let me go," he said. "I could still help you get to Midgar, or wherever it is you want to go."

"No," said Yazoo, looking at him with an expression Reno couldn't decipher. "I'm sorry, though. That I hurt you so much. That I _can't_ let you go. But, I really can't. We _need_ you. I…I don't know what's happening to us. I don't know what we should do in the world. I don't know what I'm _for_!"

Reno shrugged, but his tone wasn't cruel as he looked at Yazoo's frightened face, and asked, "Well, Yaz, when you think about it, who does, really?"


	3. Cold Comfort

**What happened? Where did all that time go? **

**Sorry. Back now. This one might be a bit frustrating. Yazoo thinks so.**

* * *

Cold Comfort

Reno concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, trying to ignore the icy bullets of sleet that stung his frozen face, soaked into his already sodden hair and trickled unpleasantly down the back of his neck. He was shivering so violently that every muscle ached from the constant tension. Ahead of him the two remnants were dark stains against the whiteness.

After a while the sleet turned to snow – thick, soft flakes, that took a little longer to melt, but only added to the weight of water drenching the Turk's hair and clothes.

Barely visible in the swirling snow, Loz turned to look back at him. "Come on, Turk!" he shouted, the words carrying strongly on the bitter wind that blew directly into Reno's face. Yazoo paused beside his brother. Loz scowled. "I still don't see why we need him now. If Kadaj is at the Forgotten City he'll tell us what to do next. The Turk is slowing us down. We should just leave him."

"No." Yazoo's tone was calm, but definite. "We might need him." He looked back at the Turk struggling through the snow, his red hair a lit match against the blank-paper whiteness. Even like this – soaked to the skin, ragged shirt clinging to that hard, lean body, flame hair wet and bedraggled – the Turk was beautiful. Yazoo smiled a little. Loz gave a disgusted snort and trudged on. Yazoo waited until the Turk drew near then said, "This is hard for you, isn't it?"

"Oh no!" Reno scoffed. "I'm having the best time. Just love being frozen and wet and hungry."

"Loz killed something before we left. We'll eat when we make camp – soon."

"Mmm. Raw un-named mountain animal. I can't wait."

Yazoo held out his arms. "You look so cold!" he said. "Come here. It'll be warmer."

"No fucking way," growled Reno, teeth clenched against the cold. "I know what happens when you get too close. You just – keep away from me!"

"But you like it!" Yazoo sighed. "You know you do. The things we did in the cave – it was good, wasn't it? I only want to make you feel better. I like touching you."

"Leave me alone!"

Yazoo shook his head. "If I do, you won't last long. Come here."

"No!"

Yazoo moved so fast, Reno didn't stand a chance, especially with his boots sunk up to the ankles in soft snow. The remnant grabbed the Turk's arm, and pulled him close. Stroking Reno's wet hair out of his eyes, Yazoo said, "But you're so cold. And you look so…nice…"

Reno's mind whispered to him that the remnant looked pretty damn nice himself. His long, silver hair was a waterfall, and there were snowflakes in his dark eyelashes. One large flake settled softly on Yazoo's lower lip, and the Turk swallowed as he watched it melting slowly, leaving the remnant's mouth wet and glistening. Yazoo drew Reno closer, and the Turk found himself kissing snowflakes from the remnant's perfect lips. "Oh – you're too cold!" murmured Yazoo, his mouth against Reno's. "I don't want you to die." Unzipping his long leather coat Yazoo pulled Reno tight against him, the Turk's icy, shivering body hard against the remnant's smooth, warm skin. Yazoo folded the coat around Reno as far as it would go, and they stood together in the snow, Reno leaning into Yazoo's warmth, sharing heat and long, soft kisses.

"My little Turk – don't die!" whispered Yazoo. "I _like_ you. I want you to stay with me."

Reno's body was ice and fire. He pressed himself against Yazoo, hard and insistent, sliding his hands down the firm, warm skin of the remnant's back beneath the coat, pulling Yazoo closer, thrusting against him. Whatever powers the remnants may have lost, Yazoo's ability to inspire raw lust in Reno remained as strong as ever. But when Reno moved to stroke Yazoo's hardening cock through the soft leather of his pants, Yazoo took Reno's hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the Turk's cold fingers, smiling. "I wish…" he said. "But it's too cold out here. We need to reach somewhere warmer."

Stepping back, Yazoo slipped off his coat altogether, and held it out to Reno. "Put it on. It should keep you a little warmer – until we make camp."

Reno reached out, touching the unblemished skin of Yazoo's chest. It was already cool and snow-white. "_You'll_ freeze, yo!" he said, softly.

"No. I'm not human – I'll be all right." Yazoo held the coat for Reno, and zipped it up. He nodded, his green eyes warm. "Better. Now – we need to go." The remnant took Reno's hand, and they trudged through the snow together, Yazoo matching his speed to the Turk's. With Yazoo's hand grasping his own, Reno went willingly, his body slowly warming, wrapped in the soft leather of the remnant's coat.

It took them the rest of the afternoon to catch up with Loz. At some point during their march the snow stopped and hazy sunlight made the white landscape eye-wateringly bright. By the time they spotted Loz, still far ahead, their shadows were long charcoal smudges on the snow's blank canvass. Reno was exhausted. He couldn't remember ever feeling so tired or so hungry. He remembered a conversation he'd had with Rude once, during which Reno had argued that it was impossible to be equally tired and hungry at the same time. Either the need for sleep, or the need for food, would eventually become all-consuming. But at the moment he could hardly say whether exhaustion or hunger was gnawing at him more.

When they finally reached him, they found that Loz had already begun to build a camp, piling up snow in a semicircle in front of a slight hollow in a rock wall. Not nearly deep enough to be called a cave, the feature at least offered a little protection from the worst of the wind. Yazoo released Reno's hand and went to help his brother, who stopped what he was doing and ran to embrace the half-naked younger remnant.

"Yazoo! What are you doing? You'll damage yourself. Why did you give him your coat?"

"He might have died. He's fragile – I told you. I'm all right."

"You like him!" Loz's voice was hard - accusatory.

Yazoo looked back at the Turk, and his eyes went soft. Loz saw it and cried, "You _really _like him! Don't you?"

Yazoo hesitated. "I… do," he admitted slowly. "There's something so…"

Loz scowled, disgusted. "You'll hurt yourself, giving him your coat like that! It's so stupid! You don't even know his name!"

Yazoo gazed at the Turk in consternation. "He's right," Yazoo told him. "I don't even know your name. Tell me?"

Reno shook his head. "I'm not giving you that. You've… taken everything else."

Yazoo's eyes flashed anger and hurt. Loz laughed nastily. "_He_ doesn't like _you_, Yazoo," he jeered. "See? He's just trouble. He's mean anyway. He'll only try to betray us when we reach a town – hand us over to that Shinra guy – the one Kadaj calls The Liar."

Yazoo looked back at Reno, who stood watching the two remnants warily. Even wrapped in Yazoo's coat, the Turk was shivering violently again. "I could make you tell me your name," said Yazoo. "I could make you tell me in ways that would give you pleasure, or ways that would hurt."

Reno nodded, eyes narrowed. Through chattering teeth he said, "I know you c-could. But that wouldn't _mean_ anything, would it? You wouldn't have won."

Yazoo was torn between anger and amusement. The Turk was so fierce – so sharp – so different from either Loz or Kadaj. The way he stood there, clearly so exhausted he was close to collapse, soaked and frozen and still defiant – unwilling to surrender to the inevitable.

Quite suddenly Yazoo was overwhelmed by a completely unfamiliar emotion: a strange yearning feeling that he could not control – that was not a part of his seductive power. He wanted the red Turk to want _him_ – to hold him of his own free will, to whisper his name in Yazoo's ear not because he was compelled to, but because he _wanted_ to – because he felt…

"Yazoo," said Loz anxiously, "What is it? You've gone all… red. Do you think it might be frostbite?

"I – I don't know…" Yazoo felt very odd – his heart was beating too fast, his face felt too hot - and there was something the matter with his breathing. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, frightened.

"I don't know. You shouldn't have given him your coat! Come here." Loz went to the bundle of blankets he'd carried with him from the cave, and wrapped several of them around Yazoo's slender body, holding him close. He glared at Reno over Yazoo's shoulder.

"Do _you_ know what's wrong with him, Turk?"

Reno shook his head. "Nope." He laughed, aware that his vision was darkening. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. "D - don't know – don't care…" the Turk managed, falling suddenly to his knees and pitching face-forward into the snow, out cold. Yazoo pulled away from Loz, but the bigger remnant caught his wrist. "Help him!" Yazoo begged.

"No."

"Loz, please! If you love me, help him. If he dies, I don't know what I'll do! I think – I think it's him making me ill. If he dies, I might never get well again."

Loz looked at his brother, anxious and confused. "But – how? How could he be making you ill? It doesn't make sense. When he's dead you'll forget about him and –"

"No!" Yazoo's voice was strained and his eyes were frightened. "I think it's a power – like mine. When you talk about him being dead – it makes me feel something _here -_" Yazoo pressed one hand to his heart. "It _hurts_ Loz. I don't like it. I don't understand it." Yazoo tried to move towards the Turk, but Loz held him firmly. "No. I'll do it. If you think it will make you better. You get into shelter. Keep warm." Yazoo nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Loz. I love you."

"I know." Loz checked that the Turk was still breathing, picked him up as though he weighed nothing at all, and carried him into the improvised shelter. The Turk moaned as Loz lifted him, half-conscious. Loz leaned the Turk against the rock face, and turned to Yazoo. "Sit next to him. Keep him warm. I'll finish the shelter and get food."

Yazoo nodded and positioned himself by the Turk, arranging blankets around both of them. He folded his arms around the Turk's slight body, leaning back so that the Turk's head was resting against his own chest. Gently unzipping the top of the coat, Yazoo slid one hand inside, stroking his fingers over the hard muscles of the Turk's torso. Even wearing the coat, his skin was icy. Yazoo moved his hand up to the Turk's neck and pressed against the pulse point until he found the faint, rapid beat beneath his fingers. When he felt the pulse begin to steady and slow, Yazoo breathed out. He zipped up the coat again, and drew the blankets around the Turk more tightly. "You'll be better soon," he told the Turk softly. "Let me keep you warm." He ran his fingers over the pale skin of the Turk's cheek, wondering about the red tattoos and whether they had any meaning. He found that he was beginning to think things he'd never considered before – whether this man had family – brothers, like Yazoo did – whether he missed anyone, like Yazoo missed Kadaj. He worked with others – that strong man with no hair and sunglasses who had fought so well with Loz – the Shinra president Kadaj had hated so much. Were they worried about him? Kadaj had told them about the Shinra president's anger over the other two – the ones they had played with in the cave, and then at the Forgotten City. The little blonde female Loz had liked – but he was always so rough, and she had nearly broken. The dark man had been strong – refusing to tell them anything even when Kadaj had been creative with Souba. Yazoo could have made him talk, but Kadaj hadn't asked him to, and he hadn't offered. He knew that Kadaj had probably been intending to extract the information once they had established their base at the Forgotten City, but then the red-cloaked demon had come and taken them away. Were any of _them_ friends of Yazoo's little red-haired Turk? Did they care about him? Would the Shinra president be upset that he had disappeared?

Yazoo caressed the Turk's face and stroked his hair. In the warmth of the blankets it was beginning to dry.

_Tseng_ and _Elena_, Yazoo remembered. The two Turks they had captured in the Northern Cave had carried cards with their names and pictures on. But the red Turk had no card. Perhaps he had lost it in the fight? Perhaps he had dropped it deliberately, so the others would know he'd been taken? That was the kind of sneaky thing he'd do. Yazoo hid a smile in the Turk's hair, then kissed the top of his head. He felt a strange emotion – a kind of pride. His Turk was cleverer than those others. Looking up at Loz, who had built up the snow walls to an impressive height and was busy using a sharpened stone to skin the animal he'd caught, Yazoo asked, "What do you think I should call him?"

Loz shrugged, refusing to look at the Turk cradled in Yazoo's arms. He was beginning to hate the red-haired human. Yazoo looked at the man in a way that made Loz feel strange and a bit sick. He said, "Call him Turk. He's just something we might need. When we find Kadaj…"

"I want a name for him." Yazoo's voice was quietly insistent. "Turk's just _what_ he is. But I want a name for _who_ he is."

Loz sniffed. "Don't see any difference. Make him tell you his name, if you want to know."

"But then he'd have won. Don't you see?"

"No. He's already winning. He's getting in the way – of us. It should just be you and me, and Kadaj. I keep telling you!"

"Loz!" Yazoo's tone was hurt. "Don't talk like that! Nothing can get in the way of us – we were made together – we're the same person split into three. No-one else can change that."

"He _is_ changing it! You went back for him. You _want_ him. You say he makes you ill, but you still won't kill him!"

Yazoo examined his feelings, checked his body's reactions. His heartbeat had slowed, and although he still felt an unfamiliar heat, it was no longer an alarming sensation. In fact, it felt good. "But it's all right," Yazoo told his brother. "I feel better now. I feel… well." Stroking the Turk's hair was nice – was soothing. Humans did this with smaller animals, didn't they? Cats, and dogs. Things with soft fur. "It's just that I was wrong when I called him a toy," said Yazoo. "He's more than that. He's a pet." He considered the Turk for a while, gazing down at his pale skin, dark eyelashes, red hair. "What do people call pets?"

"I don't know," snapped Loz, making it quite clear that he didn't care either.

"We don't know _anything_!" Yazoo sighed. "If we try to live in a village or a town, we'll have to learn everything! Kadaj had mother to guide him. She knew how the world worked. We don't even know what people call their pets!"

Loz glanced at Yazoo. He was annoyed by his younger brother's interest in the Turk, but at the same time, Yazoo fascinated him. He had ideas about things that would never occur to Loz. He thought about so many things. And Loz loved him so much it made him feel pain – like the pain Yazoo had described – an odd, hollow feeling in his chest – when there was this distance between them. He wanted Yazoo to be happy with him again, so he offered, "One of those kids – you know, back in the Forgotten City last time – he had a dog. He called it _Rusty_."

"Oh. Because it was old? Or it couldn't run fast?"

Loz shrugged. "It seemed quite quick. It was small, and red."

"My Turk's quick and red. But not _rusty_." Yazoo sighed. "I've never named anything before."

"You have!" said Loz, suddenly. "Velvet Nightmare. You named that. Remember – Kadaj told us that Souba was Souba, and Dual Hound was Dual Hound, but you said, 'This is Velvet Nightmare'. Do you remember?"

"Yes. It just – came into my head. I don't know how."

"So what comes into your head when you look at the Turk?"

Yazoo looked down and smiled. The Turk seemed to be sleeping naturally now, one pale hand nestled between his cheek and Yazoo's chest. "I don't know. Not yet. But I'm going to think of something."

"Well, I'm going to call him _Turk_." Loz finished cutting up the carcass, and called Yazoo over. Yazoo laid the Turk gently on the ground, and heaped the blankets over him.

"You'd better make him eat some of this, if you want him to survive," said Loz, gesturing to the lumps of meat he'd hacked off with his improvised stone blade.

"All right."

"It was stupid to give him your coat though." Loz ran a hand over Yazoo's chest. "You could have damaged yourself."

Behind them Reno opened his eyes, fully free from Yazoo's influence for the first time in hours. He saw the two remnants standing together, Loz looking concerned and Yazoo shaking his head. They turned to look at him and Yazoo said, "He would have died. He was getting too cold." He smiled sadly at Loz, and the older remnant's anger melted away. Reno could see it in Loz's eyes – a complete softening – total surrender.

"Gaia!" swore the Turk to himself, "How does he do that? Everyone just falls at his feet! He's beautiful, yes, but it's more than that. It's supernatural – people just come undone! I have to fight it, or I'm not worthy of the name of Turk, yo! I can't give in to it again."

Struggling to his feet, Reno stripped off the coat quickly, although he started shivering again at once, and threw it on the ground at Loz's feet. "You're right," he said. "He shouldn't have given it to me. I don't want anything from you – either of you!"

"Don't be silly," Yazoo told him, sharply. "You want food, and you will want warmth. You're a survivor, and we're what you need to survive now."

"But I… I don't want all that other stuff. All that… touching… and the kissing… Just leave me the fuck alone, yeah?"

"But you do want it, little Turk." Yazoo looked at Reno, and his mouth was soft and smiling. "That's the whole point!"

"No – I don't! It's that thing you do - it's - like – fucking magic, yo! What, your whole body's made of seduce materia or something? 'Cause how else…"

Yazoo laughed. "_Seduce materia_? I think you just made that up! All right – I _promise_ I won't touch you, unless you ask me to."

Reno shook his head. "Oh no! Soon as you get close enough to touch, I'm gonna be fucking _begging_ man! I _hate _that! No – you swear that you won't touch me no matter what I say!"

Yazoo looked at the Turk. The little redhead was glaring at him out of those pretty blue-green eyes, his beautiful mouth set in a hard line. Yazoo just wanted to gather him into a close embrace and kiss him until he stopped resisting.

"Oh," he sighed. "But that would make me so sad!"

"Tough!" said the Turk. "That's how it is, yo."

Slowly, Yazoo nodded his head. "All right," he said softly. "I'll do as you say. But you have to do something for me, in return."

"What?"

"Tell me your name."

Reno considered, his eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure where this was going – had no idea whether the remnant would keep his word, and had no defence against him if he chose not to. But it seemed that Yazoo wanted him enough to keep him alive, and the measure of control that gave him was better than none. Reno decided to risk pushing his luck. He shook his head. 'Uh-uh. How about we get through the night first? And if everyone's alive and – unmolested – in the morning, I'll think about it then."

Loz looked at Yazoo. "What are you _doing?_ You only kept him alive because you said he'd be fun to play with. This isn't fun. He's telling _you_ what to do. He's slowing us down, and he's weak, and he's making you weak too. Forget him! If you don't want to kill him, I'll do it. Just don't let him make you like this." Loz picked up Yazoo's coat and draped it around his younger brother's narrow shoulders. "I hate seeing you like this Yazoo."

But for all his delicate appearance, Yazoo wasn't weak. He placed one hand on Loz's chest, smiling. "I know what it looks like, but I know what I'm doing. I… _want_ him, Loz." Yazoo put his arms around his brother and whispered into his ear, "He _will _be mine – of his own free will. It's just another game Loz – a challenge."

The brothers turned as one to look at Reno. Loz's smile was slow and cruel. Reno felt like an insect pinned to a collector's card.

"All right," Loz agreed. "We'll play that game. Just for you, Yazoo, because I love you. But if he tries to hurt either of us I am going to play with him how I want, and then kill him."

Loz's green eyes glittered wickedly. Reno shuddered. Yazoo gave him a little smile. "Don't worry, Turk. Be good, and no-one will hurt you."

Reno wondered whether he was going mad. The remnants weren't sane – anymore than Sephiroth had been. It seemed that his chances of survival were slim at best.

"Enough!" said Yazoo. "You want to survive, what ever else you may or may not want. So you go back to the blankets and get warm, while we finish making the camp."

Reno couldn't argue with that, so he did as he was told, wondering whether he was ever going to escape from this whole fucked up situation. Yazoo brought him a portion of raw meat, handing it over without a word, and moving away before his magic – or whatever it was that drew Reno so irresistibly to him – could take effect.

Telling himself that the bloody flesh in his hands was just like rare steak, Reno made himself bite into it. With difficulty, despite his extreme hunger, he chewed the gelatinous substance a couple of times and forced himself to swallow. It was all he could do not to gag as the disgusting chunks went down.

Yazoo and Loz seemed to have no such difficulties, and ate their grizzly repast with complete indifference. When the meal was over – the cold, fatty meat an unpleasant weight in Reno's stomach – the remnants looked at each other and nodded.

"We need to sleep now," said Yazoo. "We have three potions left." He looked at the Turk. "You should have one now – to make you strong again."

Reno made no comment, but accepted the potion Yazoo held out to him, knowing that it was his best chance of survival. He swallowed the glowing liquid quickly, knowing from long experience that the bitter aftertaste would swiftly be compensated for by a flood of warmth and wellbeing as tired muscles were reenergised, weary bones refreshed.

"Ah!" exclaimed Reno, so relieved by the potion's efficacy that he forgot to keep his emotions in check. "That's so damn good!"

Yazoo's eyes glittered. "Good. It's nice, when you like what I give you. Perhaps you should think about that… When things feel good, isn't it worth doing them again?"

"Huh! Seen a hell of a lot a mako addicts fall for that argument, yo!" was the Turk's only comment.

Loz had heaped all the blankets into a pile, except for the one Reno had wrapped around himself in place of Yazoo's coat. He called across to Yazoo, "Shall I keep watch first?"

"No. We all need to sleep. It's so strange – this feeling of being… tired. It's not like it was before – sleep used to be just a thing I knew I had to do – but now it feels like… a weight… as though I can't work properly without it."

"Hmm," agreed Loz. "It's not nice. It's as though there's something wrong…"

"But we can all sleep now," Yazoo told him. "There are no big animals up here, and my little pet can't run away, because if he does, he'll die."

"Well, he's sleeping on your side," Loz said.

"No," replied Yazoo firmly. "He's sleeping in the middle. It's the only way he'll be warm enough to survive the night."

"In that case you'd better stick to your promise, Yazoo. I'm not sharing if you're going to be playing with him all night. Unless you let me join in too," Loz added hopefully.

"I promised I wouldn't touch him, and I won't."

"All right then." Loz settled down on Reno's left, fully clothed and scowling. He turned away from the Turk, and closed his eyes. Reno lay still, staring up at the curve of the rock-face above him, the white glimmer of the snow walls Loz had built, and a narrow band of black sky sprinkled with dusty stars. Yazoo lay beside him, on his right. Reno fought with everything he had to control his body's responses to the beautiful remnant beside him. Yazoo glanced at him, then sighed, and turned away.

It seemed as though Yazoo actually intended to keep his word – which meant that Reno had gained a greater measure of control over his captivity than he'd ever expected to have. His rational mind rejoiced at that – almost as much as his body berated him for it. "Idiot!" the physical side of him was saying – "He's here – so close you can feel his heat – and all you have to do is reach out a hand…" To his horror, Reno heard himself ask softly, "Aren't you even going to kiss me goodnight?"

Yazoo physically flinched at the question, but did not turn to face the Turk. "No," he murmured. "I promised."

"But, I've changed my mind."

"No – _I've_ changed your mind. I didn't mean to – it just… happens. Don't ask me again. I may not be able to help –"

"_Please_," whispered the Turk, his hand straying up to stroke soft, silver hair and his breath hot in Yazoo's ear. "We're so warm now – we could do anything! I think Loz is already asleep…"

"Don't…"

"I thought you liked me?"

Yazoo turned slowly to face the Turk. He'd never been in this situation before – he was _always_ the one in control. He had no way of dealing with Reno's advances - and, although he had no supernatural powers like Yazoo, Reno had always been very good at getting his own way in such matters. There were plenty of women – and some men – back in Midgar, who had blushed in the morning to remember some of the things they'd been persuaded to try in Reno's bed. There weren't any who regretted the experience though.

Yazoo looked at his Turk – his little pet – and felt an unprecedented uncertainty about how to respond. The expression in the Turk's sea-green eyes was a wonderful mix of pleading and suggestiveness. His playful smile was slow, and sweet and sexy.

Yazoo whispered, "I _do_ like you. And there is nothing I'd like more than to –"

The Turk pounced on Yazoo's hesitation. "What?" he purred. "Kiss me? Touch me?" His smile widened. "Fuck me?"

Yazoo couldn't hold back a little moan at that word. "I promised I wouldn't!" he cried. "No matter what you said… You won't tell me your name if I do."

"Maybe I can be persuaded to change my mind?" offered the Turk, his eyes shining in the semi-darkness. "Let's make a deal. You do all that stuff you do so well – we mess around a little – kiss, and touch… And maybe we can finish off with a good, hard fuck – and _then_ I'll tell you my name."

The Turk's words made Yazoo so hard it hurt. He longed to do everything his pet had suggested – it sounded so good! But if he gave in, he would have lost. To a human.

"No!" he cried, jumping to his feet and stepping back from the 'bed' hastily. The Turk reached out a hand to him. "Just kiss me, and then decide," he said. "I want –" But at that moment Yazoo stepped far enough back, and Reno stopped mid-sentence, shocked and shamed by his own behaviour.

"Shiva!" Reno thought, mortified. "What the fuck is wrong with me? I have no willpower at all! I'm just like a fucking junky."

Yazoo's face was turned away. "It's not fair to do that!" he said. "How am I supposed to resist that?"

Reno laughed bitterly at the injustice of that accusation. "It's not _me_ doing it, man! It's you, doing it _to _me!"

"But – I don't like it! You shouldn't… try to make people do things they… don't…" Yazoo began to listen to his own words and fell silent.

Taking one of the blankets from the bed, Yazoo wrapped himself in it, and sat a few feet away from the Turk. "I'll stay here," he said. "Until you're asleep."

"Good!" replied Reno, fully back in control of his own mind. "The further away the better as far as I'm concerned, yo!"

Yazoo felt a physical ache somewhere in his chest when his pet uttered such heartless words. He didn't understand why it was different with this one. _Always _in the past, his power had worked on people the first time – and then they'd been unable to resist. He only had to look at them, to walk into the room, and they'd come running. Usually he had to kill them to make them stop fawning over him. But this one…

"As soon as I stop touching him, he _hates_ me!" Yazoo thought. "He's still wild – he's…"

"Turk," he said aloud. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah. Why?" The Turk sounded suspicious and angry.

_Why doesn't he love me?_ Yazoo wondered.

"There's a wild animal like you," Yazoo said. "Loz and I saw one once, near the village where we stole the blankets. It was red, and sharp – like you – sharp teeth and glittery eyes. It had a tail like your hair, too."

"Fascinating!" commented Reno, yawning deliberately. "If you mean a fox, you're hardly original. I've been called that before."

"Well, you'll be used to it then, won't you? I'm going to call you Fox, until you tell me your real name."

Reno scoffed. "Well that's never gonna happen!"

Yazoo countered with a cool, "Oh, really? So – you weren't just begging to tell me in exchange for a 'good, hard fuck' then?"

And to that, the Turk had nothing to say.

Yazoo felt that he had regained the upper hand. When he added, "Go to sleep _Fox_!" and his pet remained silent, he relaxed and felt more settled.

Yazoo waited a long time until he was sure Fox was asleep. Then, with a silent grace no human could match, he slipped back into the 'bed' and added his blanket to the pile heaped over the three of them.

When Yazoo awoke in the morning, his pet was curled up against him, still and sleeping, one hand curved around a lock of Yazoo's silver hair. He looked down at the Turk and smiled sadly. The redhead looked more like a cat than a fox at the moment – a warm, soft, heat-seeking cat. The urge to stroke his red hair and kiss him awake was very strong.

"You will be mine," Yazoo whispered. "What ever it takes."

Resisting the temptation to just forget about the game, wake the Turk and play with him, Yazoo got up quickly and went to cut some more chunks of meat off Loz's dead animal for breakfast.

With luck they would make it below the snowline later today, and there would be wood for a fire and better animals to kill.

At least it wasn't snowing, and the sun was rising in a clear, brightening sky.

**tbc.**

**Please review if you weren't too upset by the lack of action!**


	4. Freedom

**Thank you all those kind people who have reviewed this story. **

**Warnings: Loz and Yazoo getting frisky - again!**

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**Freedom**

Yazoo watched as the Turk got up and stretched luxuriously. There was something almost voluptuous in the way he took pleasure in his physicality – his unselfconscious grace – the surprising power in that lean, hard body. Loz folded up the blankets and watched Yazoo watching the Turk. He hated the look on his brother's face – the softness he was used to seeing Yazoo's victims display – the desire he was used to seeing directed at Kadaj or himself - now turned on that pretty, nasty human…

Loz wasn't used to planning – that had always been Kadaj's job – but he knew that he had to save Yazoo from this creature that had such a strange effect on him. He was worried though – could it be true that the Turk was making Yazoo ill? If so, what would killing him do? Perhaps, if he was clever, he could lead Yazoo so far ahead that the Turk would never catch up with them. Then he would die of cold in the snow, and it wouldn't be Loz's fault, so Yazoo would still love him.

Loz didn't understand a lot of what Kadaj had said the first time, about Mother's cells and legacies, and reunion, but he did know the important things: Yazoo was his brother – his lover – himself - just as Kadaj was. If this Turk had the power to turn Yazoo's love away from him, then he was dangerous. And Loz's job was a simple one: kill anything that might be a danger to his brothers.

Yazoo came to him and took one of the folded blankets. Loz touched Yazoo's cheek and tilted his face up, so that he could look at his beautiful brother properly. Yazoo looked different – tired – somehow _sad_… He didn't even smile at Loz. Turning away to take the blanket to the Turk, Yazoo sighed. Loz caught his arm and turned him back, drawing him close. Yazoo looked up at him and Loz felt that pain again – that strange ache in his chest – when he saw the lost expression in his brother's green eyes. Loz didn't know what to say, so he put his arms around Yazoo and held him tight, and took his perfect face in gentle, strong fingers, and kissed him. For some reason that made two tears slide out of Yazoo's eyes, and seeing them made Loz cry too.

Yazoo reached up to wipe Loz's tears away, smiling. "Oh Loz," he sighed. "You love me so much, don't you?"

"Yes!" replied Loz vehemently. "But… I'm afraid you don't –"

"I _do_! I love you! I will always love you Loz. I don't know why this Turk affects me like he does. I don't understand it. But it will never stop me from loving you!"

"Then – _show_ me, Yazoo."

"What do you mean?"

"Like in the cave – like we used to. I… miss you doing those things."

"But – where?"

"Here! Why not – the cold can't hurt us, can it? You said it couldn't."

"I… don't think it can."

"Good."

Yazoo seemed unsure. He looked at the snowy ground, then glanced at the Turk, who was sitting on a rock forcing himself to eat more of the half-frozen animal and shivering.

Loz kissed his brother hard. For the first time in what seemed an age, but was actually less than three days, he saw desire spark in Yazoo's eyes – desire that was for _him_ and not the Turk. Yazoo smiled and it was almost his old, playful smile that always led to such good things – the touching and the sucking and the fucking.

Almost.

Yazoo glanced towards the Turk again, and Loz forced his head back, angry now. "Don't look at him!" he ordered. Yazoo sighed. "Loz – just one minute, and then I'll be yours, I promise."

Reluctantly, Loz let go of his younger brother.

Yazoo approached the Turk cautiously, holding the blanket. He threw it at his pet, then stepped back quickly. "There, Fox. Keep warm. I'm going to play with my brother now. Unless…"

Reno's eyes narrowed. What was the crazy little shit up to now?

"Unless what?" he asked, his voice hard. He wrapped the blanket around himself, keeping a wary eye on Yazoo.

"I kept my word," Yazoo said, and there was something fragile in his expression. "Tell me your name."

Reno shook his head. "Told you – that's not gonna happen."

"But you promised!"

"No – I only promised to _think _about it. I've thought – and the answer's no."

Yazoo replayed the previous day's conversation in his mind, and realised that the Turk was telling the truth.

"Cunning like a fox, too," he said, his eyes hard as he considered the Turk's challenging glare. "Be careful Fox. I may grow tired of this game. Perhaps my brother is right about you."

"Probably is," the Turk agreed. "He hates me – I hate him – makes life easier, don't you think? And I sure as hell hate _you_, so seems like you're the only one with a problem."

"You don't _always_ hate me," Yazoo told his pet firmly. "Perhaps, if I leave you alone for a while, you'll come to realise that."

"Any plan that involves you leaving me alone sounds good to me," the Turk snarled. Yazoo's control snapped. Before Reno could react, Yazoo struck him a vicious backhanded blow across the face that sent him sprawling in the snow. But when the Turk got to his feet, his green eyes were neither shocked nor repentant – instead they gleamed with something that looked a lot like victory.

"Yeah," jeered the Turk, rubbing his swollen lip, and never taking his eyes from Yazoo's, "That sure as hell looked like leaving me alone, yo! Face it – you just can't keep your hands off me!"

Yazoo shook his head. "I can. I will. But don't forget, Fox, any time I want you, I only have to get close enough. Now I'm going to play with Loz, so you might want to look away." Yazoo gave the Turk a malicious little smile. "Of course – you might prefer to watch… You seemed to like that before, didn't you? Or are you going to lie to me now, and tell me that you felt nothing in the cave?"

"I was half-conscious in the fucking cave!"

"Hah!" Yazoo's incredulous snort and the lift of his perfectly arched eyebrows showed his contempt for that excuse.

Reno shrugged. "Never said you weren't hot," he told Yazoo, looking him straight in the eye. "Hot – and crazy as fuck, yo!"

Turning away pointedly, Reno stared down the mountainside. He made himself chew some more of the semi-frozen meat. The texture was slightly more bearable now there was ice in it, but the cold made his teeth ache, and he'd never wanted a toothbrush so badly in his life. Trying hard not to think about hot black coffee and toast, or warm showers, or what might be going on behind him, Reno looked at the snow-covered, bleak mountain side stretching away as far as he could see.

What were the others doing now? He knew they'd be searching for him – Turks looked out for each other – fact. He'd dropped his ID card in the alley where he'd been abducted – had Rude found it? Other than that, their only lead would be the helicopter Yazoo had stolen. But Reno was sure Yazoo wouldn't have taken a Shin-Ra copter – what ever else he was, the remnant wasn't stupid – so there would be no way of tracing it.

Behind him he couldn't help overhearing Loz's murmured, "Oh, Yazoo!" followed by a hiss and a soft moan from the younger remnant that shot a bolt of lust straight to Reno's groin in spite of his best efforts to think about something else. Reno jumped to his feet and started walking down the mountain. He wasn't kidding himself he'd be able to escape – the remnants would catch up with him as soon as they'd finished playing their sick little games – but he wanted to get away – to be alone for a few minutes, or however long they gave him.

He'd gone a few steps when he heard a low laugh and Yazoo's voice called, "Where are you going, little Fox?"

Reno paused but didn't look round.

Yazoo said softly, "You can't get away! There's nowhere to go."

Angry, Reno turned, snapping, "I know that, yo! I'm not –" His breath caught at the sight of Yazoo, completely naked on his hands and knees in the snow, Loz, kneeling behind him almost fully clothed, thrusting eagerly into his brother, one gloved hand wrapped firmly around Yazoo's flushed cock. Loz took no notice of the Turk what so ever: his pounding rhythm never faltered and his expression was one of pure pleasure. Yazoo shook long sliver hair out of his eyes, looked straight at Reno and smiled. He bit his lip at a particularly hard thrust from Loz, then purred, "You know, you're – ah – welcome to join us…"

Reno turned and all but fled down the mountainside. He hated himself for the way lust flooded him, made him hard, made his whole body pulse with desire for that – demonic - vicious – fucking _beautiful _creature!

"And that's when he's not even close," Reno mused morosely, walking as fast as he could through the thick snow to get away from the remnants, wishing he could leave the image of Yazoo's perfect body behind as easily.

"Why am I so drawn to him, even when he's too far away for his magic to work?" Reno wondered. "I _hate_ him – I do – but, fuck, he's so damned hot! It's not like I even go for guys that often. I guess – it could be a throwback to that whole Sephiroth thing?" Despite the cold and the fact that no-one could see him, Reno flushed at the memory of his secret youthful crush on Sephiroth – how he'd tried to convince himself it was simply hero-worship – how he'd been forced to admit it was more than that when he'd found himself dreaming powerfully erotic dreams about the sliver-haired SOLDIER. Sephiroth had been the first man he'd ever felt desire for – the one who'd forced him to confront his bisexuality – the one, he supposed, who'd provided the template for what he found himself attracted to in a man.

Reno had only actually met Sephiroth on two occasions – once when he'd flown a SOLDIER contingent to Junon to catch a troopship to Wutai during the war, and once at some function of the old president's when he'd been on security duty and Sephiroth had been present. The first time Sephiroth had nodded to him as he boarded the helicopter, and then, when they'd arrived in Junon, he'd asked, "You're one of the Turks aren't you? I'm afraid I don't know your name." And when Reno had told him, he'd inclined his head, and said, "Thank you, Reno," with grave courtesy. The second time – over a year later – he'd surprised the Turk by coming to stand beside him for a moment, right at the end of the event, and saying, with a little smile, "Hello, Reno. I've been wondering – do you enjoy your job?" Reno had been so astonished – that the SOLDIER First was actually speaking to him, and that he'd remembered his name – that he'd answered fairly incoherently, "Uh – yeah – it's… good, I guess."

"And working for Shinra?"

"Yes."

"It must be nice – to do something you enjoy." And Sephiroth had given him a searching look, before walking away. A few weeks later, Reno had been in Nibelheim helping to cover up the evidence of Sephiroth's crimes. He'd never told anyone about what Sephiroth had asked him, and, despite the horrors he'd seen in Nibelheim, he'd never forgotten the thrill of the SOLDIER's physical presence – the aura of controlled power he exuded; the inhuman perfection of his body and his face.

"Yazoo is so like him," Reno thought. "More than Loz is. More than Kadaj was. I suppose that's why…" He shook his head, angry at himself. "But I have to focus on surviving and finding a way to escape. And, if I can, getting these two back to Shin-Ra and into the cells, because Gaia knows what they'll do once they both really accept that Kadaj isn't coming back and realise they're on their own with no mission. Wouldn't put it past Yazoo to come up with some crazy Sephiroth-style plan to destroy Shin-Ra or take over the whole fucking world! And Loz… Well, I guess he'll do whatever Yazoo tells him to."

Reno stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky. Heading south, in summer, it shouldn't take too long to reach a settlement of some kind. "Thank Gaia it's not winter – or the whole continent would be virtually snow-bound!" Reno thought. "I guess – if we keep going south, we'll eventually come across a chalet or something quite a way north of Icicle Inn. Could take – maybe – another two or three days? And once we reach a place with a phone or a computer, I'll find a way to make contact with the Boss or the director if it kills me."

Maybe it was the potion from the previous day, or the sunshine, or just being away from the remnants, but Reno suddenly felt a whole lot more optimistic about his situation. Feeling a surge of energy he began to run, breathing in the crisp mountain air, jumping rocks, feeling really alive for the first time since his capture. Reno loved running. Running – flying – speed. He hated being forced into stillness as he had been in the cave; he needed to burn energy.

Much further up the slope behind him the two remnants watched him run. Loz rested his chin on Yazoo's shoulder, his arms around his brother's waist. Now Yazoo had given him what he needed, he felt less agitated by the fascination Yazoo felt for the Turk. It was just a game, after all.

"Why is he wasting energy?" Loz asked. "Doesn't he understand that he can't outrun us?"

Yazoo smiled. Allowing Loz to fuck him had settled his blood somehow. He felt a little less frantic about his need for Fox – he would get what he wanted in time, he was sure of that. He had never failed before. He twisted in Loz's strong arms, and kissed his brother with sincere tenderness, before turning back to watch his pet. Fox's red tail streamed behind him as he ran – his lean body was all power and energy.

"He knows he can't escape," Yazoo explained to Loz, watching Fox, and feeling that strange ache in his heart again. "He just needs to run. He's wild. He has to feel free, even when he isn't. It's part of the reason why I like him so much."

"But not as much as you like me?" asked Loz, stroking his fingers through Yazoo's long, shining hair.

Yazoo didn't look round, but he said, "Of course not. You know that!"

The strange pain in his heart came again, but in a different way. When he looked at the Turk, the ache was longing – desire – a feeling that was part bad and part good. But when his heart hurt because he had lied to Loz – that was only a bad kind of pain. But what could he do? How could he tell the truth to the brother who loved him so much: I love you, but I love him _more_, even though I don't even know his name? Loz would be devastated. Loz would probably kill the Turk.

"Loz is right," Yazoo realised. "He _is _coming between us. I should let Loz kill him – but I can't. I was wrong about him twice: he's not a toy and he's not a pet. He's a man – with a clever mind, and so much… wit, and energy and determination. And he's so beautiful! How has this happened to me – that I feel this? I never felt anything for an ordinary human before. But it's true – I love him more than I love Loz!"

Over his shoulder Loz said, "We should go. We need to find Kadaj."

Yazoo sighed. "In a moment," he replied, his eyes still on the Turk's swiftly moving form. "Let him feel free a bit longer."

Loz gave a soft snort, but there was no malice in it. "You're too kind to your pet!" he said. "Kadaj won't like it."

"No," replied Yazoo sadly. "I suppose he won't." He couldn't bring himself to tell Loz what he feared – that Kadaj, having served his purpose for Sephiroth, had re-entered the Lifestream and would never come back.

"But then why are _we_ here?" Yazoo wondered. "What are _we _supposed to do?"

Without speaking, the two brothers set off after the Turk. Glancing at each other they began to run, swift and silent natural predators, side by side. Loz smiled: this was how it was supposed to be – understanding each other without the need for language – moving as one – working together. He remembered the time in the Forgotten City when they'd fought with their golden-haired brother – the one who wouldn't do what mother wanted. That had been good – he and Yazoo had become one weapon then – his strength and Yazoo's agility combining perfectly. They would have won, too, if it hadn't been for that creature in the red cloak, who seemed determined to spoil all their fun!

And then Loz remembered another time, in Edge, when Yazoo had leapt into the air to fight this same red-haired Turk – and the Turk had matched his height, despite being merely human. Loz remembered staring up at his brother and the Turk high above him, leaving him behind, earth-bound. Was that why Yazoo liked the Turk so much? They were both strong, slight, fast. Was that what drew Yazoo so strongly?

Reno never heard the brothers approaching. He started when two black and silver blurs streaked past him, one on each side: then the remnants stood before him, Loz smiling, Yazoo serious, neither of them even out of breath.

"Having fun?" Loz asked from behind Yazoo, his arms wrapped possessively around his brother's slender waist.

"Was," Reno replied, scowling. "'Til you two turned up to spoil the party."

Yazoo's green eyes were unreadable. Head on one side, he considered Reno as he asked, "What – you like to have parties on your own? That's hardly fair, since we invited you to _ours._ It's not our fault you didn't want to join in."

Loz sniggered and Reno glared at him.

Yazoo's smile was cold. "Well – the invitation's still open, Fox. We'd like you to play, wouldn't we Loz?"

Loz looked at the Turk and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'd still like to do that. As long as he doesn't talk."

"Oh – I'm sure we could find other uses for his mouth."

"Yeah!" replied Loz eagerly. "We could f-"

"Loz!" Yazoo glanced at the Turk almost as though he expected him to sympathise with his exasperation over Loz's lack of subtlety.

Reno just shot the pair of them a disgusted look and shook his head.

"We need to get moving," Yazoo said. He took Loz's hand and turned away, looking back at Reno over his shoulder, unsmiling. "I hope you can keep up, Fox. I don't think I'm in the mood to wait for you today."

"Fine by me," the Turk replied with a shrug that made Yazoo want to shake him – or hit him again – or…

Reno didn't miss the flash of frustrated anger in Yazoo's eyes, and he smiled. "Fuck," he said softly, beginning to realise the extent of the effect he had on the younger remnant, "You got it bad, don't ya?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Yazoo said, keeping his tone haughty and cold. But the Turk only laughed.

"So – why're you blushing then?" he asked.

"I'm not!"

But Yazoo felt that strange heat spreading across his face again, and it only intensified when Loz looked at him anxiously and said, "It's happening again, Yazoo! Are you ill? Is it the Turk?"

"No!" growled Yazoo, letting go of Loz's hand and walking away swiftly. "I'm _fine_. Come on!"

Behind him he heard the Turk's soft laughter, and his heart swelled with something that was part fury and part longing - and another emotion that was almost panic at the realisation that his feelings for this human had somehow utterly escaped his control.

Although he had been relieved that the remnants had left him alone all day, Reno was beginning to feel anxious as the sun slipped lower in the sky and tinged the long clouds red and gold. He'd walked steadily, following the two sets of footprints that vanished into the distance downhill – the deep indentations made by Loz's long, broad boots, and the smaller, narrower ones left by Yazoo's light passing. But once it grew dark the temperature would fall off rapidly, and he had no food, no weapon, no shelter. What if Yazoo really had grown tired of him? Perhaps he'd been stupid to risk so much on the strength of an attraction that might have been nothing more than a passing amusement for the remnant.

It was hard to tell, in the gathering twilight, but was that a darker line away on the horizon? Could he finally be nearing the end of the snow? If so, his chances of survival would be much better. Reno gathered his remaining strength and began to run.

Loz was pleased. He had been clever – using Yazoo's anger at the Turk to set a fast pace that they had maintained all day without his brother seeming to notice. Yazoo had been very quiet, walking quickly with his eyes on the ground. He hadn't seemed happy, but he hadn't looked behind them, or asked about the Turk, which had to be a good sign, didn't it? If only Loz could keep him walking even when it had grown dark, they'd probably be too far ahead for the Turk to catch up. Loz was pretty sure that if the Turk spent the night alone in the snow, he'd die.

A few hours ago they'd left the snow behind, and now the rocky ground showed patches of grass and a few low shrubs. Yazoo suddenly stopped and looked down at the scrubby greenery beneath his feet, then looked back the way they had come. "Loz! We have to wait for him! The snow's gone – he won't be able to track us."

"There hasn't been any snow for miles," Loz told him. "Didn't you notice?"

"No! I was thinking…" Yazoo began to walk back up hill. Loz grabbed his arm, frowning. "What are you doing? We need to keep going!"

"I have to find him. He can't survive a night out here on his own."

"He might. He's not as weak as most humans."

"He hasn't got any food, or a weapon. How… how far behind do you think he is?"

Loz shrugged. "I don't know. We've come a long way."

"I shouldn't have left him." Yazoo's eyes were wide and worried. "I… was angry. He was _laughing_ at me!"

"Yes. Because he hates you, and he hates me. Forget about him."

"I can't." Yazoo pulled away from Loz and began walking again.

"Yazoo, let's make camp here. We can wait for him. You don't need to go looking for him – even without footprints to follow he'll just keep walking downhill won't he?"

"But it's nearly dark. He can't see in the dark as well as we can. What if he falls, or some animal, or monster…"

"We haven't seen any monsters. And only small animals."

"I know, but –"

"If he doesn't turn up, we can look for him in the morning. Yazoo – I want a night here with you anyway. Just me and you. We can play as much as we like."

"But –"

"Yazoo…" Loz got around in front of his little brother and took a firm hold of his arms. "Listen. This is bad. The Turk is doing something to you – changing you. You know I'm right. You're behaving just like those people used to when you made them do what you wanted – you want to be near him all the time, just like they wanted to be near you. When he's here you look at him all the time too. You know it's true, don't you?"

Yazoo nodded miserably. "Yes. I can't stop it. He's… inside my head. I try to think about Mother, or Big Brother, or what we're going to do next, but all I can think about is him. Do you think I'm going mad? He called me crazy."

"It must be a power. Maybe it's something they teach them – at Shinra. Their scientists are clever – they made Big Brother."

Yazoo shook his head. "No. They only helped Mother to make Big Brother. Of course, they didn't know that's what they were doing until it was too late. But if the Turks had a power like mine, the others would've had it too – Tseng and Elena."

"Well – they were cute too. I liked the girl. And Kadaj _really_ liked Tseng – remember?"

"Yes. But not like this. He would have killed him – after. They had no influence over us."

"But this Turk _is_ influencing you."

"Yes." Yazoo sighed and looked into Loz's steady green eyes. "Yes, he is."

"Yazoo – you have to let him go. Leave him. Look – if it makes you feel better, we can leave some supplies for him – the meat, and blankets – even the potions if you want."

"But he might not make it this far."

"Then – let me take them to him. I'll tell him he can go." Loz stroked Yazoo's hair softly. "You have to stop him having this control over you. You know it's wrong."

"I know – but –"

"Let me go to him, Yazoo. If you go, you won't be able to resist him. All this will start again."

Yazoo looked at the ground. "I know you're right…" he said. "But I don't know if I can bear not to see him again."

"You have to. For me. For Kadaj."

Yazoo sat down on a rock and put his head in his hands. When he finally looked up at Loz, there were tears in his eyes. "All right," he whispered. "But – make sure he's well. Make him drink one of the potions. Make sure he's below the snowline."

"I will."

"Promise me, Loz."

"I promise."

Yazoo watched Loz as he gathered together the supplies and walked away up the hill.

So this was to be the end of it – his little fiery Turk would survive, but Yazoo wouldn't see him again. "I'll never know his name," he thought. But Loz was right – the Turk was only a human, and for a human to have power of any kind over a superior being like Yazoo was just wrong. And at least, this way, he would still be alive, somewhere in the world. Perhaps, one day, after they'd found out what they had been sent back to achieve and they'd accomplished their task, Yazoo would be able to find him again?

Loz walked quickly in the gathering darkness. He felt pride that his plan had succeeded: Yazoo would be free of the Turk at last. There was an ache in his chest at the thought that he'd lied to his beloved brother – but it was the only way to make sure Yazoo was safe, and Loz would do anything to ensure Yazoo's safety. The Turk was a threat as long as he was alive.

Well – there was a simple solution to that.

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**Uh oh - Reno's in trouble.**

**TBC**


	5. Negative Status Effect

**Thank you reviewers and readers.**

**Sorry to keep you waiting. Last we heard Loz was setting off to kill Reno. **

**Oh dear...

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**Negative Status Effect**

Yazoo sat on a rock, scuffing the heel of his boot against the mossy ground, trying to convince himself that he'd done the right thing. "Loz is right," he told himself firmly, "The Turk was dangerous. He was coming between us, and he knew how I felt about him, so he used it. He used me to make it more likely that he'd survive. I shouldn't have allowed that. It's better like this. Loz will give him the potion and let him go, and he'll go back to his friends, and it will be all right. Loz will make sure he's all right. Loz will –"

"Loz will kill him."

Yazoo jumped to his feet, and stared around at the darkening landscape, wild-eyed. "Who said that?" he asked aloud. But as soon as he'd spoken the words he knew the answer – the voice he had heard so clearly was inside his own head. This must have been what it was like for Kadaj when Mother spoke to him. But the voice Yazoo had heard was strong, and low, and male, and achingly familiar. "Who…" Yazoo whispered.

"Loz will kill him unless you stop him. He thinks he's protecting you."

"Loz wouldn't lie to me!"

"You wouldn't lie to Loz either, would you, Yazoo? But you did. You told him you loved him more than the Turk."

"But… I only said that because I didn't want to hurt him."

"Loz doesn't want _him_ to hurt _you_."

Yazoo felt a wave of nausea sweep through him as he realised that, of course, the voice was right. He turned back up the hillside and ran for his red Turk's life.

x-x-x

Reno stopped running and peered into the dusky distance. He thought he could make out the edge of the snow, much closer now, but between him and it a dark figure was approaching with frightening speed. As Reno watched he realised that the imposing silhouette was too big and too broad to be Yazoo's. Knowing that he had no chance of winning a fight with someone of Loz's strength, Reno looked about desperately for somewhere to hide. All around him flat white snow stretched far into the distance. The few scattered rocks that protruded here and there wouldn't have provided cover for a rabbit, let alone a man.

That Loz wanted him dead, Reno was sure. What he wasn't certain of was whether there was anything he could do or say to prevent the super-human remnant from killing him.

Automatically assuming a fighting stance, Reno waited, mentally preparing as best he could for a battle he knew he would lose. Loz stopped a few feet from him and smiled slowly. "Hello, Turk," he said. "Yazoo's come around to my way of thinking at last."

"Didn't know you _could_ think," scoffed Reno, sounding a lot braver than he felt. Loz frowned. "Hey! That's mean. But it doesn't matter. I'm going to kill you so you can't upset Yazoo any more."

"And that's what Yazoo wants, is it?" Reno challenged, keeping his guard up. "He told you to kill me?"

"No. He thinks I'm going to give you this stuff," – Loz threw a bundled blanket to the ground and Reno watched as a small bottle of potion rolled out of it and skittered across the crisp surface of the frozen snow – "And then he thinks I'm going to let you go. But why would I do that when I can break your neck and you won't be able to hurt him ever again?"

"If he finds out, he'll hate you," Reno said. Too little light remained to be certain, but the Turk thought he saw momentary doubt flicker across the big remnant's face.

"He won't find out. He's waiting for me – miles away from here. He's mine – my brother – and you'll never take him away from me!" Loz took a step towards the Turk, who shook his head, that soft, red hair flying.

"Look," Reno said, backing away, talking for his life, "Why take the risk? Do what Yazoo wants – let me go."

Until he said the words aloud Reno hadn't realised how much he longed for freedom - with a sharp, visceral desire like aching hunger or desperate thirst. "I'll go – I won't try to find you. It's not like I wanted Yazoo – you know that! I don't want to take him from you – I just want to go back to my life, yeah? And – if you kill me and he does find out, he'll never forgive you. You'll be on your own. C'mon Loz, think about it! Now that Kadaj is dead, Yazoo's all you have."

Loz sprang forward and made a grab for Reno, who leapt aside and aimed the hardest punch he could muster at the remnant's midriff. His fist made contact with solid muscle and Loz gave a grunt, but nothing more. Either the remnants had stopped weakening or the process was slowing down: Loz was still far too strong for Reno. Loz's huge hands closed around Reno's throat, and the Turk struggled desperately, kicking out, and clawing at the remnant's fingers in a vain attempt to prise them loose.

"Keep still," Loz growled, "Or I'll kill you right now."

Reno knew he had no choice. Loz could do it with one sharp blow, or the slow squeeze of those impossibly strong hands. Forcing himself to comply, Reno became motionless, his eyes fixed on Loz. Even in the dim light, Reno could see the unearthly green glitter as the remnant's gaze locked with his own.

"Take that back," Loz said, his voice low and furious. For a moment Reno didn't understand what he was talking about. "Kadaj is _not_ dead!" Loz growled, giving the Turk a little shake for emphasis. Reno's teeth rattled. "Okay, okay," he managed, when Loz's grip on his throat relaxed enough to allow speech, "Kadaj is alive and well, okay? Let's just – keep calm, yo!"

"I hate you," Loz said. "I hate you so much!" Keeping one hand on the Turk's slender throat, Loz ran the other through that red hair, just like he'd wanted to in the cave. Reno flinched and Loz smiled. "I get why Yazoo liked playing with you though," he said thoughtfully. "You're so pretty. You should have been nicer – then we could have played together and I wouldn't have had to kill you after. But it's too late for that." With minimal effort, as though he was brushing away an irritating fly, Loz gave Reno a shove that sent him flying backwards into the snow. Looking down at the Turk Loz smiled, and his eyes were colder than the icy ground beneath Reno's back.

"Yazoo wouldn't let me play with you," Loz said with a regretful shake of his head. "But Yazoo's not here now."

Reno started to struggle to his feet, but Loz's heavy boot placed firmly in the centre of his chest had him flat on his back in an instant. "Don't get up, Turk," Loz told him. "I like you where you are."

"Let me go," Reno said, trying to fight down rising panic that was threatening to become a flood. "Yazoo will find out – you're no good at lying. He'll leave you and you'll be alone."

Loz removed his foot from Reno's chest and dropped to his knees so that he was straddling the Turk. "Kadaj will bring him back to me, if that happens," Loz said. "You don't understand anything about us, Turk. We have to be together. We're the same person. Now, stop talking. You talk way too much. I think your mouth is the most dangerous thing about you." Running leather-clad fingers over Reno's lips, Loz sighed. "Why couldn't you just be pretty and dumb?"

_So this is how it is_, Reno thought. _I'm going to die here._ _Well – fuck it – might as well go out on a joke. _The panic retreated. Reno laughed. Loz glared at him. "What's funny?"

"I was thinking – even if I was just pretty and dumb, I'd still be one up on you, yo!"

Frowning, Loz asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well – _I'd_ still be pretty."

Loz shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Oh for fuck's – Don't you get _anything_? Way to ruin a punch line. I know, see if you get thi –" The Turk's eyes went wide, focussed on a point just behind Loz's left shoulder. "Shit!" he exclaimed, "What the fuck is _that_?"

"What -?"

The second Loz turned his head, Reno grabbed his arms and twisted, rolling the startled remnant off him and into the snow. Before Loz could react Reno was on his feet and running down hill as fast as he'd ever run in his life. In spite of the fact he was pretty sure he was still going to die, he couldn't help a gleeful grin as he fled. _He actually fell for it!_ Reno thought, even as he heard Loz closing the gap between them. _Who ever falls for that? Oldest trick in the –"_

Then Loz was on him, tackling him to the ground and pinning him there with his whole weight, and a hand grabbed him by the hair and smashed his face into icy rock. Reno's dazed brain had time for two thoughts as Loz pulled his head up again and blood ran into his eyes – _guess I made it below the snowline_ – and, _okay_, _this isn't funny any more._

"Not so pretty now," Loz snarled. Reno felt the remnant's fingers tighten in his hair, and knew that the next blow would be fatal. He struggled with all the power he possessed, but Loz was just too strong.

Loz's weight on him was gone. Reno turned, groggy and faint, and managed to get to his knees, wiping blood out of his eyes with the back of his hand. Loz was on the ground now, arms in front of his face, trying to ward off the blows of a furious Yazoo. The younger remnant attacked his brother with every vicious trick he was master of, his relentless assault made easier by the fact that Loz was clearly reluctant to fight back. Reno touched his face gingerly, wincing. His nose didn't seem to be broken – that was good – but he thought his right cheekbone might be fractured, and there was a lot of blood coming from his forehead.

At last Loz staggered to his feet, and grabbed Yazoo's arms tightly, turning him away from his body, and hugging him so hard that Yazoo was unable to move, despite his struggles.

"_Let me go_!" Yazoo hissed.

"Then listen to me."

"No. You were going to kill him. I saw you. You told me you'd let him go - you _promised_!"

"I had to stop him getting in the way."

"You lied to me! Get off me!" Yazoo pulled away, and Loz released him, gesturing to the Turk helplessly. "He was making you ill!"

Yazoo looked at the Turk. It was so dark now, that even his sharp eyes couldn't see detail, but there was blood on the Turk's face – a frightening amount of blood. With a little cry of distress, Yazoo ran to the Turk and knelt down beside him, touching the wound on his forehead with gentle fingers. "Oh, I'm so stupid!" he said. "I'll never let you out of my sight again. I thought I could trust him – but he hates both of us."

"No!" cried Loz, taking a step towards Yazoo, and stopping abruptly when Yazoo held up a warning hand. "Yazoo – I love you! I hate him, but I love _you_ – you know that. That's why I had to kill him – don't you see?"

"If you loved me, you couldn't have hurt him," Yazoo said, his voice flat and cold. "Go away, Loz. I don't want to be with you any more."

"No," said Loz from the darkness. As he spoke the moon emerged from behind a thick band of cloud that was retreating northwards, and Reno saw the strong, cruel face crumple and transform into that of an unhappy child, frightened and unsure as to why he was being punished. "Yazoo – I need you."

"I don't love you any more," Yazoo told his brother, getting to his feet and facing Loz, his face completely impassive. Loz stared at him in horrified disbelief.

"You don't mean that."

"I do. I can't love you. You tried to kill Reno, and I love _him_."

Reno stared at Yazoo. "How -?" he began, but his question was cut short by Loz's howl of anguish.

"Don't cry Loz. It won't do any good," Yazoo mocked, and Reno thought he'd never seen anything as cruel as the younger remnant's smile.

"Yazoo…" Loz began, but Yazoo stretched out his left hand, and Reno saw the eerie, unmistakable green glow of magic materia emanating from inside the remnant's forearm. "Go to sleep, brother," Yazoo said, softly. "Don't look for me when you wake up. Look for Kadaj. _He_ still loves you, I'm sure."

"Don't Yazoo," begged Loz, tears falling unheeded from his wide, incredulous eyes. "Don't leave me on my own. Please."

"Sleep," commanded Yazoo, and Loz stood still as the magic enveloped him: unable to react, unable to understand. Then the big remnant sank to the ground slowly, and his eyes closed.

Yazoo looked down at Reno, smiling. "It's all right now," he said. "He can't hurt you."

For some reason, Reno found himself saying, "But – he's your brother."

"He doesn't matter any more," Yazoo explained as if it were an obvious fact. "I've got you now." He stooped to pick up the fallen potion, and said, "Drink this." When Reno had swallowed the bitter liquid, Yazoo placed his left hand on Reno's forehead and cast Cure, then stepped back to allow the magic to take effect. Reno shuddered as the spell worked through him, realigning the fracture in his cheek, healing damaged skin, knitting cuts together and softening bruises. Using Cure was always a strange feeling – so intense as to be almost painful – and combined with the potion it was nearly too much to bear. Reno gasped, felt his heartbeat race and his breath grow short – and then it was over, and he felt only wellbeing and relief from pain.

"Better?" Yazoo asked, gazing at him with soft eyes. Reno nodded, but he felt more wary of the remnant than ever. He couldn't get the image of that cold smile out of his head.

"How did you find out my name?" he asked, his own expression hard.

"What do you mean? I've always known – or – at least – no." Yazoo frowned, puzzled. "_Reno_," he murmured. He looked at the Turk, unsure. "I just – _knew_. When I realised that Loz was going to kill you, I just _knew_."

Reno shook his head. "That's impossible."

"It's not." Yazoo smiled, and Reno shivered. "You're forgetting something." Yazoo's expression darkened as he glanced at the sleeping form of his brother. "But we don't have time for that now. We need to move fast – that spell won't hold him forever. He might go looking for Kadaj, but he might come after us. We need to find shelter – somewhere he won't expect. Are you well enough to run?"

"Yeah," Reno replied. "But – I want to know, yo. What am I forgetting?"

Yazoo looked at him, green eyes glittering in the moonlight. "But Reno – surely you remember? You're forgetting who I used to _be_."

Perhaps it was only a trick of the silver light, but for a moment Yazoo looked different – more mature, more distant, his perfect face even more unnaturally beautiful, his smile even colder. Was that how Sephiroth had smiled as he cut down the townsfolk of Nibelheim?

"It's impossible," Reno said. "It has to be."

"Don't worry, Reno," Yazoo said. "You don't have to worry about anything now. You're safe. You're mine. And I'm never going to let anyone else lay a finger on you, ever again."

Reno tried to ignore the heavy, cold feeling of despair that settled in his gut at those words. He was alive, wasn't he? Alive and free of Loz. And whatever he had to fear from Yazoo, it seemed unlikely that the crazy remnant would kill him after all this. "It's okay," Reno told himself as firmly as he could. "As soon as we reach civilisation, I'll find a way to escape, and get home." He found himself picturing the others: Rufus' handsome, aristocratic face with its constant air of detached amusement that was a mask for a complex and passionate nature; Tseng's steady dark gaze and serious, controlled demeanour a true reflection of his disciplined soul; Rude's strength and silence giving no indication of his surprising dry sense of humour; pretty, fragile-seeming Elena – resilient and tougher than anyone would ever dream. _Gaia, I miss them_, Reno thought. _I miss them all so much! Even the Boss in one of his moods. Even Elena nagging me about smoking too much. I could just about be persuaded to write a decently long report for Tseng right now. And Rude. I miss Rude most of all._ _He's like… like a brother, yo. _

Reno became aware that Yazoo was staring at him. "We have to go," the remnant said. "Loz probably won't kill me, but he'll kill you if he catches us, and I don't think I could stop him, if he was really determined. He's still stronger than I am."

Reno only sighed, nodded, and followed Yazoo, as he began to run south in the direction of Icicle Inn.

Reno and Yazoo ran through the night, Reno given strength by the cure spell and the potion, and Yazoo never seeming to tire. Every so often Yazoo would stop to allow Reno to catch his breath, but he always glanced behind as he did so, and seemed fretful – almost nervous.

"Loz was right about one thing," he murmured, watching Reno bent double, hands on his thighs, panting after another run of three or four miles over slippery rock and frozen mosses. "You do slow us down. I wonder why humans are so weak?"

Reno shrugged, looking up at Yazoo through unkempt uneven red hair. "I know," he said. "Terrible isn't it? Can't imagine what you ever saw in me. Tell you what – it's been fun an' all – but – you – me – I can't see it workin' out, yo. How about you just – go where you wanna go, and I'll take my chances on my own?"

Yazoo didn't smile. "You always joke," he observed. "Why is that? Does it help in some way?"

"Makes me feel better, anyway," Reno told him.

"I don't see how. Don't you understand what I've given up for you? How can you joke about leaving me? You've made me hate my own brother – who I loved more than anything until he tried to kill you. Aren't you grateful that I saved your life?"

"_Grateful_?" Reno asked, amazed at Yazoo's capacity for self-deception. "You didn't do it for my benefit, yo!"

"Of course I did! What do you mean?"

"You wanted me. That's all this is. You don't care what I want – you just wanted your fucking _pet_ back! When you get tired of me, you'll kill me yourself and go back to Loz. Now – he really _will_ be grateful."

"You can't really think that." Yazoo took a step towards Reno, who took a longer step away from him.

"I _do_ think that. Hey - don't get any closer. Don't!"

But Yazoo crossed the distance between them before Reno could blink, and seized hold of the Turk's arms. "You're so wrong. You know I'll never get tired of you. Never."

Reno shuddered as Yazoo leaned in to kiss him, but by the time the remnant's mouth was on his own, he was lost again.

"You see?" Yazoo murmured, his lips still warm against Reno's, "This is why. We're _supposed_ to be together. There's nothing we can do about it. I've known it for years." He stepped back, and Reno frowned, wiping his hand across his mouth. "You only came into existence two years ago, in the cave! You never even _saw_ me until that fight we had in Edge, so don't give me all this crap about -"

Yazoo tossed back his long hair and sighed. "You don't _listen_, Reno. A Turk should be better at listening. I wasn't always _me_, you know that."

"What are you saying?"

Yazoo glanced back up hill. The darkness was less opaque now – dawn wasn't far off. "I think you know. But there isn't time to explain it all now. We have to find somewhere safe – then we can talk. Come on!"

Yazoo set off again, running swiftly, and Reno had nowhere else to go but after him.

_He's crazy as fuck!_ Reno thought as he ran. _He can't mean Sephiroth, can he? Sephiroth only met me twice, and those can't have been memorable occasions for him! He asked me my name, and he asked if I liked my job, then walked away. Not exactly chat-up lines! It doesn't make any sense. None of this makes any kind of sense at all!_

x-x-x

Loz opened his eyes, dazed by the powerful sleepel spell. Shaking his head he sat up, and memory flooded his consciousness bringing nothing but abject misery. Yazoo didn't love him any more. He'd turned on his own brother for the sake of that Turk – what name had he said? _Reno_. That was it. _Reno_. Loz hated the very sound of it.

Wiping angry tears from his eyes, Loz wondered what to do. Yazoo had told him to find Kadaj. Would that be a good plan? Kadaj would be happy to see him. Kadaj would know what to do about the Turk. But what would Yazoo be doing in the meantime? He would take the Turk away somewhere – it would be hard to find them after that. And what if the Turk had been right about Kadaj? Loz didn't want to admit it to himself, but, if Kadaj was alive, wouldn't he have found them by now? Unless he _was_ waiting in the Forgotten City… It was a tempting image, and for a moment Loz found himself smiling, picturing his youngest brother pacing impatiently beneath the white trees, that little frown between his eyes, waiting for them to come to him. But then he was crying again, as a powerful wave of love and longing crashed over him. He needed his brothers – he was nothing without them. He loved them both – but it was Yazoo he had always been closest to – Yazoo he couldn't live without. Kadaj was different; he had Mother. Kadaj would be all right on his own for a while longer. But Yazoo needed help. Yazoo was under the spell of that Turk, and Loz was determined to rescue him. Resolutely, Loz got to his feet. He would find Yazoo, and kill the Turk however much Yazoo begged him not to. It would be hard to do it, and Yazoo would probably hate him for a while – but once Reno was dead, Loz was sure the spell would be broken.

_Yazoo believes he loves the Turk_, Loz thought. _But it's not love_. I_ love Yazoo. And he loves me. He does, whatever he says now. What he feels for the Turk – that's not love. It's just… just a negative status effect! Killing Reno will cure it. It has to. I want my brother _back.

* * *

**Thanks for reading.**

**TBC**


	6. Whatever You Want

**Sorry for the long delay, and thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and favourited this story. **

* * *

**Whatever You Want**

Reno had always been gifted with a strong sense of direction, and it soon became clear to him that Yazoo had changed course – still heading downhill, but veering slightly west.

"Where're we headed?" Reno asked.

"There's a stream – I can sense water. We're going to cross it, then double back, wade upstream for a while, and head east. There's an army base east of Icicle Inn. I remember a hut we used to use on training missions – when they were acclimatising us to combat in Wutaian winter conditions."

Reno stopped abruptly. "Don't!" he said, his voice sharp with fear. "Don't do that!"

"What?" Yazoo looked at him, unsmiling, and apparently genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

"_You_ never went on any training missions! _You_ never fought in Wutai! Don't talk as though you were _him_. You're not him. You can't be."

Yazoo actually looked shocked. "You're right," he said slowly. "I shouldn't – I never remembered…" He shook his head, silver hair gleaming in the moonlight. "When I was here before, I could never hear him. Kadaj could hear mother, but Loz and I… Even Kadaj could only sense _him_; he said it was like being aware that someone else was in the room standing there silently, but not being able to turn and look at him. But I never had that feeling – never sensed him at all. I never heard mother's voice either. It was Kadaj who told us what to do."

"And now?" Reno asked, not certain he wanted to hear the answer.

"I'm not sure. I – I don't _sense_ him. I have no sense of him as a presence. But I heard his voice – when he told me Loz was going to kill you. And he told me your name. Or – no – I just _knew_ it. I was fighting with Loz, and it was just there, in my mind."

"And just now? You heard his voice?"

"No. I had no sense of him. I just remembered – his memories, in my mind, as though they were my own."

"But – why would –" Reno had to force himself to say the name aloud. "Why would _Sephiroth_ want to stop Loz from killing me?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's nothing to do with him. Maybe it was my own mind – my subconscious – somehow accessing his memories because I wanted to save you so much. Perhaps I knew, on some level, what Loz intended to do?"

"Let's hope so. But how could you access his memories? Are you saying they're a part of you? You can't mean they still exist… That would be…" Reno shook his head. "I was at Nibelheim. After. We thought he was dead. Twice we thought he was dead. Please tell me he's dead this time."

"I don't know. _I'm_ here. That must mean something. But you shouldn't be afraid. If his mind still exists, then he wants you alive. He saved you – don't forget that."

"I wasn't thinking of myself," Reno replied, rather surprised to find that it was true.

Yazoo sighed, took a step towards Reno before he could back away, and laid a warm hand against Reno's cheek. "You don't have to worry about anyone else," he said. "I told you – you're safe now. You're mine. _If_ there is some way Sephiroth's mind has survived - _if_ he has any plans - they won't touch us."

"Yes – but –" It was happening again. Reno knew there was something he wanted to say – something to do with Sephiroth being a danger. He struggled to remember, his hand against Yazoo's chest, keeping him away. "Sephiroth is a threat to everything," he began. "You don't… You can't…" Fighting to keep control of his mind, Reno shook his head. "No – wait –" But then he found that all he could think about was Yazoo. He put his hand over Yazoo's, leaning in to the touch. Yazoo's hand was warm against his cheek, against his palm.

"You only have to worry about keeping safe," Yazoo told him, smiling. "And to do that, we need to keep moving. Come on."

Reno's entire focus was on Yazoo's mouth. He put his free hand on the back of Yazoo's head, pulling him into a kiss that, at that moment, was all he wanted in the world. But Yazoo only pressed his lips against Reno's softly, then drew away. "Not now," he said. "We _have_ to go."

As soon as Yazoo turned from him, Reno cursed himself thoroughly. He was getting sick of the remnant's influence over him. The only positive thought was that each time Yazoo came close it took a little longer for the magic – or whatever it was – to work. A second or two of control. Not much, but better than the helpless desire he'd felt at first. Having no other option, Reno turned and followed Yazoo down the hillside in the slowly brightening dawn.

Much as he hated and mistrusted Yazoo, Reno couldn't help but admire the remnant as he ran. There was an alien grace about him – something more akin to a cat than a human – a power and a focus that was entirely predatory, but also beautiful. It was a quality Reno had only seen once before – in Sephiroth.

_What are they?_ He thought. _Loz and Yazoo? Are they separate people at all? Or only parts of Sephiroth? Loz talked as if they were one person. Are they real – or just some kind of… I don't know – projection of him – of aspects of him? What does it even mean to ask are they real? They're real enough to have caught me – to be able to kill me if they want to. Yazoo's right about one thing: I have to concentrate on surviving. If I can get Yazoo to Shin-Ra, perhaps there'll be something in the archives about what he is. Perhaps Rufus will have some idea what to do with him?_

Reno's musings came to an abrupt halt as he found himself ankle deep in water. He bent down and scooped up the icy water in his hands, drinking deeply and then splashing it over his face. "Ah, Gaia, that's cold!" he exclaimed. "But so damned good!"

"We don't have time for this now," Yazoo said, glancing back the way they'd come. "Quickly – we'll cross the water here – run on for a few minutes." Reno nodded and followed Yazoo's instructions, running over increasingly rocky ground. The shrubs were taller here, and there were a few stunted pine trees scattered among them. Yazoo caught Reno's arm suddenly and said, "Come here."

"I don't want –"

"Not that." Yazoo ran his fingers through Reno's hair, then pulled sharply. "Ow!" Reno cried. "What the –"

Yazoo separated two long strands of red hair from the dozen he held, and let the breeze take them, until they landed on a nearby thorn bush. "Loz will find those," he said. "He'll keep going this way, with luck. Come on – we need to move faster."

Doubling back to the stream, Yazoo and Reno waded against the swiftly flowing current for some way, until Reno's teeth began to chatter from the icy water leaking into the tops of his boots.

"We should be alright now," Yazoo said. "It's not too far. Come on. Loz will think we're heading for Icicle Inn."

"Wish we were," Reno grumbled, thinking of comfortable beds, fires, food – access to a PHS.

"If we went there, he'd find us. If the base is still here, we'll be safe for a while."

"The war with Wutai ended nearly ten years ago. There's probably nothing left of the base. There's so little in the way of natural resources up here – the local people most likely stripped it of everything as soon as Shin-Ra stopped using it."

"The main base, yes. But the place I'm thinking of was used for field training. It was very remote. I doubt anyone's been there since Shin-Ra abandoned it."

"Hope you're right. Don't fancy spending another night out in the open, or on the move."

"No. You need rest. You've been cold and hungry for too long. Perhaps I should have stopped for the last potion and the blankets, but I didn't want Loz to be sure which way we'd gone. Anyway, I still have Restore."

"That materia," Reno wondered, trying to keep his tone casual, "Where do you keep it? There are no slots on your gun, are there? When you cast sleepel on Loz, it looked as though it was a part of you – but that's not possible."

"It is a part of me. I can absorb it into my body. It's easier than before, actually." Yazoo frowned. "Last time it hurt. Every time we used it – it fought us. Now it's just… neutral."

"How can materia fight you? It's not sentient."

"Not exactly, no. But it's made of living energy, however distorted and enslaved. The planet wants it back – or, you could say it seeks to return to the planet. It's a constant pull." Yazoo smiled, and this time his smile was wistful, rather than cold. "Some things are just supposed to be together," he said. "With materia, it calls to the planet and the planet calls back, and they attract each other. It's how my magic works too, if you want to call it magic. It's why you can't help being attracted to me. You're pulling in the wrong direction most of the time, but when we're close enough you feel it. You shouldn't fight it – there's really no point."

"Ha! You attract everyone – even your own brother! It has nothing to do with me. I'm not supposed to be with you! Fuck no. I'm not supposed to be with anyone, yo. Least, not for more than a couple of nights. How I like it. How it is."

Yazoo shook his head. "Lie all you want, Reno. To me – to yourself. Maybe I do attract other people – but it's not the same at all. They don't attract _me_. You do."

"Great. Lucky me. So damned privileged."

"Even your sarcasm is attractive. Come on – there's not much further to go."

Reno could make no reply that wouldn't be a repeat of his 'attractive' sarcasm, so he kept quiet and thought about the information he'd gleaned. The fact that Yazoo could somehow absorb materia into himself was more proof, if any were needed, of his inhuman nature. Another thing to tell Rufus, when he got back. Trying to focus on that thought, Reno followed Yazoo east.

x-x-x

Loz untangled two long strands of unmistakably red hair from around the spines of a thorn bush, and stood holding them between his fingers, trying to think. "They came this way," he said aloud. "So they're still heading for Icicle Inn. But the Turk can't move very fast. So if I run, either I'll catch them up, or I'll be able to circle round them and get to Icicle Inn first. It would be easier to kill the Turk there – I expect they'll rest, and Yazoo will get food. He'll probably cast sleepel, like he did on me…" Loz's lip trembled slightly at the memory, but he heard Yazoo's cool voice in his mind: "Don't cry Loz." So mocking. But always said with an accompanying smile that was so beautiful.

"I will find you," Loz vowed. "And when I do, the Turk is dead."

Loz followed the mountainside downhill, aiming west, for Icicle Inn.

x-x-x

"At last!" exclaimed Reno, as Yazoo led him towards a small log cabin half hidden among tightly packed pine trees.

"It's still here," said Yazoo, pleased. "I thought it was too remote to have been discovered, except by chance."

The door was fastened by a large metal padlock and a thick chain, brown with rust, but solid enough beneath. Yazoo took the chain in his hands and snapped it easily. Reno's eyes widened – the remnant clearly retained a lot more strength than he'd thought.

Inside, the cabin was in surprisingly good shape. Three metal storage lockers stood along one wall. Yazoo smiled. "If I remember rightly, the code was always 1735," he said. He turned the numbered discs to the correct positions, and the door of the first locker swung open, with a reassuring hiss that told both of them that the vacuum seals had not been damaged. "Bedding!" Yazoo smiled brightly at Reno as if they were two kids on a camping trip. "We'll actually be warm tonight. Shin-Ra always did make things to last. These blankets aren't even damp."

The next locker contained a kettle, pots, pans and cutlery, matches, firelighters, metal plates and mugs, soap, toothpaste and rolls of toilet paper. Reno laughed aloud. After all this time living in the most basic conditions, the everyday objects looked absurd – alien. "How fucking civilized!" he exclaimed. "But what about food, yo? Or is it back to what we can kill?"

"If memory serves me – or if Sephiroth's memories serve me – this should answer your question," Yazoo replied, opening the third locker. Reno gave a sigh of satisfaction as he saw tinned food of all kinds, the labels still clear, and the metal shining, rust-free. "I thought this place was used for survival training?" he said, helping himself to a tin labelled _baked beans_. "It's a friggin' hotel! I always said SOLDIERs were soft."

"I don't suppose you ever said that to Sephiroth though?" Yazoo asked, smiling.

"Well – you're the one with access to his memories, apparently. You tell me?"

Yazoo shook his head. "You only talked to him on two occasions. I remember."

"Right." Reno popped the ring-pull on the can of beans, peeled back the lid three quarters of the way, grabbed a spoon from the locker and began to eat ravenously. He hoped Yazoo hadn't noticed the knife he'd slipped into his sleeve while taking the spoon. "Oh Gaia," he said, his mouth full. "So fucking good!"

Yazoo just watched him. Reno frowned. "What? Quit staring!"

"I like watching you."

Reno put down the empty can, and scowled at Yazoo. "Well – I _don't_ like you watching me. Cut it out!"

He turned back to the locker and took out another can – this time labelled _fruit_. It was so damned good to finally get some food inside him that he found he couldn't maintain his anger at Yazoo.

"_Fruit_?" he wondered aloud. "That's not very specific."

"They used to give us whatever was in season – what was cheap," Yazoo said.

Reno peeled back the tin lid, and peered inside. "Cherries!" he exclaimed. "Man, I love cherries! When were they ever cheap?"

"They weren't," Yazoo replied, smiling. "They were Sephiroth's favourite though. I guess someone in the quartermaster's office felt like humouring him. They used to –" Yazoo broke off, his eyes fixed on Reno as the Turk spooned cherries into his mouth with an expression of concentrated bliss. It took about three minutes for Reno to finish the lot, drinking the juice straight from the can, and then he found the empty container pulled out of his hand, cast aside, Yazoo's fingers on his throat; Yazoo licking cherry juice from his red-stained lips, his tongue warm and wet and teasing.

Caught by surprise, Reno's mind rebelled for all of two seconds before he surrendered to desire, his hands buried in silver hair, his mouth crushed against Yazoo's, kissing hard and deep. Yazoo's hand slipped easily beneath the waistband of Reno's pants, found his already shamefully hard cock, and stroked lightly – too lightly… Reno couldn't stop himself thrusting forward into Yazoo's too gentle grip, greedy for more, _now_ – but Yazoo moved his hand away and Reno heard himself make a sharp, animal cry of pure need. It contained all his longing for this beautiful, inhuman creature – it tore out of him like the unrestrained cry of orgasm – and, as Yazoo stepped back, smiling, it suddenly utterly sickened him.

"_Bastard!_" he hissed, furious, the desire in his eyes changed instantly to cold hate. "You swore you wouldn't!"

"But that was before. I know your name now, Reno."

I never told you! That was the deal –"

Yazoo looked at him, considering, his green eyes, so beautiful seconds before, now seeming to Reno repellently alien – snake-like pupils unnerving, making him shudder internally.

"I think I'm tired of that game," Yazoo said at last. "I've been more than patient. I gave up my brother to save your life – you owe me now."

"But I don't want to. I don't want you to do that to me. I'm not –"

Yazoo scoffed. "Don't pretend you've never had a man!"

"No – it's not that."

"And aren't I more beautiful than anyone you've ever had?"

"You are. That's not the point!"

"Then – what? I don't understand your reluctance. I won't hurt you – won't damage you. I'll be good – do all the things you like – just tell me." Yazoo smiled, his eyes innocently wide. "Reno – I'll do anything for you. I love you so much – don't you understand? What do you want from me? If you don't like the thought of being – taken – then I won't do that. You can have me however you want it. You want me to suck you – I'll do that. I'm good – Loz always said I was good."

Yazoo lowered his eyes, and added softly, "You – you can hurt me, if you want. If you don't want to be submissive then I'll let you dominate me completely –"

Yazoo moved towards Reno who stepped back hastily, and found himself with his back to the lockers.

"Stop!" he cried. Yazoo hesitated. "You don't get it!" Reno said. "You'll _let_ me dominate you? That's not control!" Reno fought to rid his mind of the image of Yazoo's perfect mouth on his cock. It would be so hot – so good…

"Then _take_ control!" Yazoo told him. "Make me do what you want."

"That's the whole point!" Reno exclaimed, exasperated. "I _can't_! That's what I hate – that I can't fight you unless you let me. You take my mind – my own control over my mind – it's so… I feel so fucking _helpless_. I hate it. I hate you."

"Then tell me how to make you love me!"

Reno shook his head, his expression bleak. "You can't. Hell – there's no way. You could make me _like_ you a whole lot more than I do now though…"

"How?"

"Let me go."

"I can't."

"Why not? What's stopping you?"

"I love you! I want you with me. I want you."

"Against my will?"

Yazoo looked at the floor, his smiles gone. When he raised his eyes to Reno, the expression in them was strange – a mixture of anger, and regret, and something as cold as the empty space his mother had travelled through millennia ago. "I'm sorry, Reno. But if that's how it has to be – then, yes."

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. The Devil You Know

**Oh dear - I'm getting slower at the updates if anything. I will finish all my stories eventually. I promise. **

**Thank you to everyone who has read and favourited and reviewed. It means so much. **

* * *

**Play With Me Chapter Seven**

**The Devil You Know**

Reno looked Yazoo straight in the eye, poured all the contempt he could muster into his voice, and took a desperate chance because he knew he was almost out of options.

"All right," he told the remnant, "Go ahead." He let his hands fall to his sides, never taking his eyes from Yazoo's.

Yazoo stilled – hesitated. What was the Turk up to now? Surely it couldn't be this simple?

"C'mon!" Reno challenged, impatient. "What are you waiting for? You've wanted this long enough, right?"

"But – what do you mean? You mean it's all right?"

Yazoo almost flinched from Reno's glare as the Turk replied, " - the fuck? No – it's not _all right!_ But you're not gonna stop until you've done it, are you? You don't give a shit about what I want anyway – so come on. Do it. Knock yourself out."

"But – I –" Yazoo looked at Reno in complete confusion.

"Oh, don't worry about _me_," Reno told him. "You know how it goes – one step closer and everything'll be fine, yeah? I'll be all over you like a rash – everyone's happy."

"But it's not – you don't want –"

"No – I don't. And you don't care that I don't, so come on – get it over with for fuck's sake."

"Get it _over with_? You make it sound like – like an ordeal – but you _want_ me – I know you do!" Yazoo's voice caught with frustrated tension. "Why are you doing this? You think I'm 'hot' – that's what you said. You _like_ what we do, when it's happening."

"Yeah – you're right. You're hot as fuck, and you know I can't stop you – so come on!"

"But – you _want_ to stop me," Yazoo said, miserably.

"Yeah – but I can't, so what's the problem? Do that magic that you do, and I'll go along with _anything – _you know that. So just do it!"

Yazoo lowered his eyes, and shook his head. "Not like this."

Reno's short laugh was derisive. "Why not? How's any other way gonna be better? What – you want to buy me dinner first and _then_ rape me?"

Yazoo's head jerked up, and his eyes were wide with shock. "No! Don't use that word! I –"

"You said you'd do it against my will," Reno interrupted, with a dismissive shake of his head. "What other word is there?"

"I gave up everything for you!"

"Never asked you to. Even if I had - that don't make you _entitled_."

Yazoo stared at Reno, frozen – too disorientated to react. Reno made no move – said nothing. At last Yazoo whispered, "Why do I love you? I must be insane. _He_ was driven mad – perhaps we're susceptible to madness. I don't – I don't know what to do!"

"Do it – or let me go."

"I can't!"

"Make a fucking decision!"

"I can't. You're confusing me – you want too much."

"_I _want? I don't want a damned thing, except my life back."

Yazoo shook his head again. "Too much," he repeated. He turned away, saying, "We'll need firewood. And fresh water. I'll fetch them. You stay here." Without looking at Reno again, Yazoo left the hut.

Reno leaned against the lockers, wanting to feel relieved - another reprieve won, although how long it might last he couldn't guess. But the traitor in his head was asking those insidious questions again. "Why? Why not just let him? It's another way to survive – an easier way. You could gain his trust – convince him that you love him, until you reach civilisation and find a way to escape. It would be so much better. It would be so good! You want him. Why not?"

"No!" Reno said aloud. He bent to retrieve the empty can from the corner where it had been thrown aside, and touched the metal of the lid carefully. Cherry juice smeared his fingers red. The lid was a lot sharper than the dull knife he'd taken from the locker earlier. With slow pressure he bent the rim of one side of the lid as far over as he could with his hands, and then put it down on the wooden floor of the cabin and pressed it flat beneath the sole of his boot. Picking it up he inspected the result critically. He thought the folded edge would give him enough purchase to make his improvised weapon lethal. "I'm still a Turk," Reno thought. "I could kill him with this. I _will_."

x-x-x

Loz entered the inn at Icicle and stared at the innkeeper, who took a hasty step backwards and stammered, "C-can I help you, Sir?"

"I'm looking for my brother. He might be coming here. Have you seen him?"

"I – I don't think so, Sir," the innkeeper managed, with a nervous laugh that died at the appearance of Loz's frown. "It's out of season you see – very quiet. We don't get many visitors at this time of year."

"He won't be alone." Loz's frown deepened. "He'll be travelling with a thin man – red hair – bright red hair."

"No – no one's arrived in town for more than a week – and then it was only Erikson with the supplies from Bone Village." The innkeeper tried for a smile. "Not much happens here. I'd have heard if there were new folks staying in town."

"All right. Then I will need food, and a bed. I'll stay until they arrive."

"Yes – of course. Well – as I was just saying, it's off-season, so our special rate applies - only one hundred and eighty Gil a night."

"I don't have money. When my brother comes – he'll pay you."

"I – that's not how we usually –"

Loz leaned on the counter, and looked down at the innkeeper. "My brother will pay you."

The innkeeper swallowed. "Of course. I'm sure that will be fine. I'll show you to your room."

Loz stretched out on the bed, grunting with annoyance when he realised that he was a good few inches too long for it. Staring at the dark wooden beams of the ceiling, he thought about Yazoo. "I've managed so far," he thought. "I've fitted in and got a room – they think I'm just an ordinary guest. But what do I do now? I _need_ you Yazoo. I want you."

When the innkeeper reported the affair to his wife later in the evening, he spoke very quietly, just in case their strange visitor had hearing on a scale with his size. "When I took him his food," he whispered, "he was polite enough. But his eyes were red and I could hear him through the door before I knocked. I swear he'd been crying like a baby!"

"You think he got lost in the snow? Maybe he's damaged?"

"I don't know. But he's weird. Looks like one of those SOLDIER types used to come and train up here years ago. From Shin-Ra. Only men I've ever seen that big."

"Do you think he's dangerous?"

"Can't tell."

"Hmm." The innkeeper's wife patted his arm, reassuringly. "Keep the gun in our room tonight, just in case. I'll get Doc Larson to visit tomorrow – see what he thinks."

Alone in his room Loz tried to sleep. The stew had been good, and for a while afterwards he hadn't felt quite so bad, but now he thought he might cry again because it was so hard to sleep without Yazoo. Loz curled on his side so that his feet were on the bed at least, and thought about his brothers. He twisted a piece of his own short hair around his index finger and thought about Yazoo's hair – so much longer and softer – and the way all three of them used to sleep together last time they were here – Kadaj usually in the middle – all of them safe, and protected, and complete. Things that were like each other went together, didn't they? It was natural and right. In the cave – last time – whenever they'd left the two Turk prisoners alone at the same time, they'd always been together when they went back for them. One time Kadaj had told Loz to hold the man because he wouldn't let them take the girl. The male Turk had struggled even though he must have known that he had no chance against Loz, and in the end Loz had been forced to knock him out to get the girl away from him.

But Loz thought he understood why the man had fought so hard. It was how things should be, wasn't it? Turks should be with Turks, and Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz should be together, when they couldn't be with Mother. That was why Mother had sent all three of them – so they wouldn't be alone – so they could look after each other.

Yazoo and that red Turk whose name Loz swore to himself he was never going to use even in his mind – they did _not_ belong together.

"Kadaj – are you there?" Loz whispered into the darkness. "Yazoo, where are you? One of you – both of you - come and find me. Yazoo - forgive me! I don't know what to do without you!"

x-x-x

Yazoo wasn't speaking to Reno, and Reno was just fine with that. The remnant went outside several times, returning with large plastic bottles from the lockers, which he had filled with water from the stream. After that he collected bundles of sticks and small branches. Reno made no move to escape – there was no point with night falling and Loz probably out there somewhere. Besides – he was considering a more permanent solution to his problem. The difficulty was the magic – the _attraction_ – whatever the hell it was. Reno's brain was becoming marginally less susceptible to it – but he still only had a matter of seconds before it kicked in and left him helpless. He could kill an ordinary human in seconds, but Yazoo's reactions were supernaturally fast. Reno had no ranged weapon – the knife he had slipped into his sleeve was too blunt to stab effectively even if he threw it with all his strength. Yazoo would probably catch it anyway – he was that _good_. Reno found himself smiling at the mental image of Yazoo turning with that impossible grace – a blur of silver and speed – to pluck the blade from the air mid-flight. If he fucked like he fought – Oh Gaia! Reno couldn't help remembering Yazoo's kisses – the way it had felt to touch him in the cave before he'd discovered that resistance was possible – the things Yazoo had offered to do…

Yazoo looked up from stacking bottles of water in one of the lockers and noticed that Reno was smiling. He longed to ask why, but as soon as the Turk felt the weight of his gaze he frowned and Yazoo lowered his eyes hastily, not wanting more harsh words - _afraid_ of more harsh words. He had never been afraid of anything human before. He felt as he used to when Kadaj would reprimand him for not obeying an order quickly enough – "No wonder Mother doesn't speak to you – you're useless! Don't you _want_ to help Mother? Don't you want her to be happy?" Loz would comfort him then – the touch of his reassuringly heavy hand on Yazoo's shoulder – a whispered, "Don't worry – he just wants everything done quickly, for Mother."

_Loz loves me_, Yazoo thought. _He would take me back at once, even after all the things I said to him. Reno doesn't love me. He hates me so much that he won't let me touch him even though physically he wants me. He doesn't understand that I love him. How can I make him understand?_

Yazoo wanted to cry, and that made him think of Loz, and he wanted to cry even more. But he was sure that Reno despised tears, and Yazoo feared the scorn he would see in Reno's eyes, the contemptuous curve of his lips, his mocking laughter. Yazoo swallowed his – what was this feeling? Frustration? Unhappiness? -and concentrated on building a fire in the grate below the stone chimney that had been built onto one wall of the cabin. When he'd finished he took matches and firelighters from the first locker and lit the fire. Luckily the chimney was simply a wide funnel of stone, and had remained free from birds' nests over the years, but for a while the cabin filled with the stink of scorched dust and cobwebs. Yazoo stood beside the fire gazing into the flames. Reno wondered what he was seeing, and thought of Nibelheim.

The warmth of the fire drew Reno, but he was careful to keep his distance from Yazoo. His fingers flirted with the sharp-edged arc of the folded can lid in his pocket, and his eyes narrowed, focussed on the back of Yazoo's head. In Reno's old world killing someone in Yazoo's present position would have been ridiculously easy – a silent approach and a quick slash to the throat would have ended his captivity instantly. But Yazoo wasn't a normal person – Reno wondered whether he was really a _person_ at all – and it seemed likely that he'd sense any move Reno could make in time to block it. No question that there would only be one shot at this, and the most sensible time to make the attempt would be while Yazoo was asleep.

Decision made, Reno went to the lockers in search of coffee and discovered a large box of individual sachets of Mideel Blend 34. He ripped three open, tipped them into a mug and inhaled the scent of coffee as he rifled through the second locker for the kettle and a trivet. "Almost as good as a smoke," he said to himself, pouring water from one of the bottles Yazoo had filled into the kettle. Yazoo watched him, but said nothing.

"Don't suppose they'd -" Reno made a thorough examination of the food locker while he waited for the kettle to boil, and emerged triumphant with a packet of SOLDIER cigarettes. There was a picture of a helmeted Second Class SOLDIER on the front and Reno raised an eyebrow as he found a box of matches and lit a cigarette. "Wonder why they didn't put _him_ on the front? Slapped him on just about everything else."

"Sephiroth didn't smoke." Yazoo broke his self-imposed silence suddenly, crossing to Reno and holding his hand out for a cigarette. Reno gave him one, more out of curiosity than anything else, and shoved the packet into his back pocket, stepping away from Yazoo quickly as he did so. Yazoo examined the cigarette thoughtfully, but didn't ask for the matches. Glancing sideways at Reno and then away, Yazoo said, "He didn't want to advertise them – thought it wasn't fair on civilians."

"Not fair, how?" Reno asked.

"Because the mako in the SOLDIERs' systems meant they could smoke without damage." Yazoo looked at Reno again. "You're not enhanced. You shouldn't –"

Reno shrugged. "I get hurt, I get cured. Figure that clears up most of the shit."

"Cure doesn't mend _all_ the damage. Not disease damage."

"Mends enough. I'll take the risk. What are you – my fuckin' _mother_?"

"I'm – I don't want you to hurt yourself. I –"

"Don't worry," Reno told him, with a hard smile. "Not planning on hurtin' _myself_."

Yazoo tossed back his hair, and to Reno's astonishment, created a small fireball in the palm of his gloved right hand, lighting the cigarette from it and then casting it into the fireplace above the kettle where it disappeared up the chimney with a soft whoosh and a crackle of sparks.

"You have fire materia too?" Reno asked.

"No – I don't need materia for that. It's just a trick powered by lifestream energy. Genesis showed me – showed _him_ I mean."

"Never heard that Sephiroth could do that."

"No. He didn't really see the need to use it. His sword was usually enough. But long range this kind of magic could be useful." Yazoo smiled and his expression softened. "Genesis always did insist on making his point. Over and over… That was one of the things Sephiroth liked about _you_ – the way you moved. Always moving, he thought. He thought your character would be like that too - not dwelling – not _obsessing_. He never had a friend like that. Genesis was so caught up in trying to be the best – and finding meanings in that play – it used to drive me – uh – him – crazy. I could still quote the whole thing."

"_Loveless_?" Reno asked. "Gaia – don't! Seen it guarding the old President so many times _I_ could probably quote it too."

Yazoo put the cigarette to his lips and inhaled. Reno waited for him to collapse in a fit of coughing, but nothing happened. Yazoo turned his head to give Reno a quizzical look, and Reno had to turn away. There was something so inexpressibly sexy about the sight of Yazoo smoking that Reno found himself aroused even though he'd been careful to keep his distance. Yazoo observed Reno as the Turk frowned and exhaled smoke, tapping ash from the end of his cigarette with an irritable gesture. Trying to get Reno to talk again in a way that wasn't overtly hostile, Yazoo asked, "Did the old President like _Loveless_?"

"Ask me, he liked the actresses. They were all he was ever watching. Fancied himself as a bit of an actor though, so maybe it was the play he was into. Heard some stories about his – uh – amateur dramatics… "

"Well – Sephiroth was certainly no fan of _Loveless_. And Angeal used to annoy him too sometimes, although not as much. All his talk of honour."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. But he thought he wouldn't get tired of _you_. He wondered what you'd talk about."

Reno shrugged. "I don't talk about anything special. Just stuff. Rude wasn't much for talking – _isn't _– shit! – _isn't_."

"What?" Yazoo looked at Reno, but he had turned his face away and was taking a long drag on his cigarette, shoulders tensed. Yazoo waited, but Reno said nothing else. The silence stretched until it was broken by the frantic bubbling of the water in the kettle.

Reno poured water onto the coffee in his mug, and stared down into the steaming dark liquid. He'd been dreaming of coffee since his capture, but now all he could think about was his slip of the tongue and what it meant. _Only a week – one week! _ _And already I'm acting like this is my life. I have to get out of here – away from him, before I lose it. It'd better be tonight. _

Reno set the mug of coffee on the hearth to cool. Moving to the lockers, he shook out a foil-backed bedding roll, a camouflage-patterned sleeping bag and a blanket. Under cover of these actions he slipped the can lid blade into the sleeping bag, hoping he'd get the chance to use it later.

"Reckon I'll get some sleep while we're somewhere warm," he said. His tone was hostile again as he asked, "You gonna leave me alone, or what?"

"Yes." Yazoo didn't understand his own motives any more. All he knew was that he couldn't force Reno into anything – not now. Not after what Reno had said. Was it still a game? Yazoo felt that he was quickly losing all control of whatever it was that was happening between them.

"Right," said Reno, spreading out the bedding near the fireplace. "Guess we'll see." He grabbed the coffee mug and downed the still-steaming drink as quickly as he could, returning to the lockers for more sachets. If he was going to be able to stay awake longer than Yazoo he'd need all the help he could get.

"I won't touch you," Yazoo said, his voice flat. "I'm not what you think I am."

"Don't know what the fuck you are; don't give a shit," Reno said, pouring hot water onto his coffee and drinking the second cup in one go, before stripping off his ragged shirt, trousers and socks and spreading them out close to the fire in the hope that they'd dry properly. Yazoo went to the lockers himself so he wouldn't have to resist looking at Reno virtually naked. He took out bedding of his own and made up a neat bed in the farthest corner of the hut from the fire. Without another word Yazoo removed his coat, folded it carefully and placed it on the floor. Then he lay down facing the rough log-built wall and closed his eyes.

Reno watched the shadows flickering red and grey on the wooden boards of the ceiling. They twisted and leapt in unpredictable patterns with the movement of the flames in the slowly diminishing fire – uneasy motion that did nothing to settle Reno's jittery, caffeine-heightened nerves. Good. He had to stay awake if he were to have any chance of killing Yazoo. He stroked the crushed metal of the folded edge of the can lid with his thumb, thinking about the force that would be necessary to kill with such a small and slippery weapon. There was no weight to it – no balance. He'd killed with knives on occasion, though he preferred his EMR given a choice. He was going to have to act very quickly, and it was going to be messy, and why in Gaia did the image of a bloody red line across Yazoo's pale throat make him feel queasy, when he'd killed more people than he could remember?

_He isn't even a person_, Reno told himself. _He's a remnant – that's what they called themselves, last time they were here. Kadaj at Healen – 'Remnants of Mother's legacy' he said. Some kinda – left over trace of Sephiroth. Like a bad photocopy when the ink's almost out. Doesn't even look all that much like Sephiroth – too soft – too fucking pretty… _

_What? What the hell? Yeah. He has to die." _

It had been too long since he'd slept properly, and his body was exhausted despite the cures and the potions – or perhaps because of them. There was always a price with mako derivatives, whatever the company liked to tell the public. Give the body too much easy help and it would stop fighting for itself eventually. Reno had seen research the public never would – victims of illegal mako-drugs whose autopsies revealed next to no antibodies in their blood. You had to use materia sparingly – give your system time to recover. That was why it worked so much better on wounds than on diseases: when immunity was already low materia could actually make things worse. SOLDIER members were different – the Jenova cells seemed to protect them. Yazoo? Reno didn't know. But given that he could absorb materia into himself, it seemed unlikely that he'd be harmed by it.

_Alien_, Reno thought. _Not even part human, like SOLDIER. Less human than fucking Sephiroth! How could I want that? How could I want any part of that? Shit – sooner he's dead the better. C'mon you bastard – sleep! Give me a fuckin' chance._

Yazoo lay still, listening to Reno's soft breathing, wondering what to do. They couldn't stay here for long – Loz would come looking for them once he realised that they weren't going to turn up in Icicle Inn. Eventually other Turks would come too. If _he_ were Rufus Shinra, Yazoo would have every available member of staff out looking until his lost red Turk was found. Did Rufus Shinra care about Reno? Did the other Turks? Was there one of them who missed him more than the others? Yazoo had never really considered other people last time – always there had been the three of them, and the awareness of Mother, through Kadaj, and the knowledge of Sephiroth. All other conscious things were there to be used or ignored or destroyed as Mother instructed Kadaj. If there was time, they could be played with. But Sephiroth wasn't the same as Mother – and Sephiroth's memories in his head made Yazoo feel different from how he'd felt last time. Sephiroth had watched people, and wondered about their lives. Sephiroth had watched Reno, and seen something that drew him.

Sensing that Reno was still awake, Yazoo said quietly, "He saw you fighting Avalanche troops in Junon. He was supposed to be stopping them from using the cannon, but he still paused to watch you. He thought – he thought he'd never seen anyone fight like that – even SOLDIERs."

Reno considered ignoring Yazoo, but his curiosity was roused, and he asked, "Yeah? Bloody mess that battle was. Too many of them."

"_You_ survived. No one else fought like you. I've – _he'd _never seen anyone unenhanced move that fast."

"Always been fast," Reno said. "Not fast enough though – or I wouldn't be _here_."

"When _we_ fought - last time – by that – monument – it was like… Like fighting with my brothers – like something that fitted. I could feel it then. I think you could, too, but you won't admit it. I could have killed you – in the helicopter."

"Kinda thought shooting out the cyclic was supposed to be a slower way of killing me? You knew we were gonna crash and burn!"

"You were low. I thought you'd survive. If you hadn't – then I'd have been wrong about you anyway."

"Which obviously makes it just _fine_ to kill me?"

"That's how I saw things then. It was only – a distraction – a pull I had to ignore. But even then, I didn't want you to die. _Now_ everything's different. You know you're attracted to me, Reno. Not just that you want me – not that simple. Sephiroth knew it. If he'd asked you, you wouldn't have said no, would you?"

Reno made his tone as indifferent as he could manage, given the discomfort Yazoo's words provoked. "Sephiroth? Hell yeah – I'd've gone for that. Who wouldn't? But – hate to break it to you princess – you ain't no Sephiroth. You're like – like a cheap Wall Market whore playing Sephiroth dress-up. You're pretty as hell an' if you weren't what you are I'd most likely fuck you into next week and we'd be done. But you ain't even _human_, and even I have _some_ standards, yo."

Yazoo wondered at the sensations Reno's words caused in his body – feelings layered on feelings that were both new to him, and yet half-familiar – things that perhaps Sephiroth had felt. An odd, dropping sensation in his stomach – bitterness, disappointment – a sudden shortness of breath at the idea of Reno fucking him 'into next week' – hate for the deliberate cruelty of the words – and slight, detached amusement as he recognised Turk bravado, and knew that much of it was a lie. But under all that there was an awareness of an ache in his heart - because, really, all this was so stupid! He _loved_ Reno, and Reno loved him – had to love him, because otherwise nothing made sense. Why was Reno being so – so _obstinate _about admitting it to himself? How long was this game going to last? Wearily Yazoo told him, "You can _say_ what you like Reno. I know the truth. You can't fight it forever."

"You're insane," Reno said. "No point talkin' to a lunatic. Go to fuckin' sleep will you?"

"Did you know," Yazoo asked in an infuriatingly calm voice, "That your accent gets stronger when you're angry? It's the same when you're uncomfortable about something – or when you're lying."

Reno didn't deign to reply. Yazoo's soft laughter had Reno's fingers tightening over the can lid in his left palm.

"It's quite endearing, actually," Yazoo commented.

"Go to sleep," said Reno. _Go to sleep. Go to sleep so I can kill you. Go to sleep so I can be free. _

The fire had burned very low by the time Reno was confident that the even pattern of Yazoo's breathing meant the remnant was asleep. _Yes - the _remnant_._ _Not even human._

Reno moved silently until he reached Yazoo. Crouching beside the sleeping figure, Reno gripped the can lid firmly and looked down at the remnant, pale skin tinted rose by the low red firelight.

Yazoo was beautiful – no other word for it. His silver hair haloed his peaceful face, and his expression was serene – innocent -

_As hell!_ Reno had a sudden image of himself - a wild-haired demon, his naked skin red in the light of dying flames, poised to kill this creature that was all angelic perfection.

_Ha!_ Reno thought. _They called Sephiroth an angel, too. Better a self-confessed devil than an angel like that! What was it the boss said, that time Rude called him out for slapping the Cetra girl? "Evil should look like evil"? Yeah. Never claimed to be nothin' but a killer. C'mon Reno – do what you do."_

But he hesitated. Yazoo was so –

_Do it! _Reno told himself. _Do it – be a Turk. Get back to Rufus and the others._

Yazoo's mouth looked so soft – the curve of his lower lip – irresistible…

_ It would be better if I could capture him alive, _Reno procrastinated, leaning towards Yazoo, drawn in. _We could find out why they're back. It would be better – if he – if he didn't have to die –_

_ No!_

With a huge effort of will, Reno pulled away and tightened his grip on the improvised blade.

_Do it! Now!_

With all his renowned speed, Reno lunged forward, his right hand tightening in Yazoo's hair, yanking his head back, exposing that pale throat and forcing skin taut. One swift, deep cut. Reno felt the flesh yield to the blade – knew the wound was fatal.

Yazoo somehow got to his knees, grabbed Reno's wrist and twisted until bones snapped. Reno cried out in agony and dropped the can lid. Yazoo's other hand was clamped to the long wound on his own neck, blood running out between his fingers. Before Reno could move, Yazoo let go of his wrist, caught him around the throat and held him still. He couldn't struggle free. The whole cabin appeared bathed in green light, and Reno's eyes widened as Yazoo took his hand from his own throat, shaking blood from his fingers. The cut Reno had made was closing up, flesh reforming. He'd never seen any kind of Cure work so fast or so completely. Then he was fighting for air, as Yazoo's hand tightened around his throat.

No good – he'd failed – he was going to die.

The pain in his left wrist was excruciating – he thought it was broken – but his thoughts were growing hazy in any case – his vision exploding into darkly fizzing stars. A sudden burst of green light – was his sight going? No – yes – no more air – no more –

Reno's body folded, boneless, to the floor when Yazoo released his grip.

On hands and knees Yazoo crawled to Reno's side, more exhausted than he'd ever remembered feeling before. Reno had made the decision to remain a Turk, it seemed, even if it meant risking his life. Yazoo finally allowed tears to fall, now that Reno couldn't see them.

"Reno!" he whispered. "All I did was love you. I thought you were starting to understand, but you really meant to kill me. So much hate!"

He picked up the can lid and inspected the blade, red with his own blood. It was an effective, crude weapon – cunning and brutal.

_Apt,_ thought Yazoo. _So apt. _

Yazoo took Reno's left hand in his own, stroking his thumb over his shattered wrist, feeling the damage. The pale skin was unnaturally hot, beginning to swell, and already mottled with purple and red bruises. "I can't cure you," Yazoo said quietly. "You'd try to kill me again. You nearly succeeded. No human should be that fast – Sephiroth was right about you."

Despite his shock and anger, Yazoo found that he was feeling an odd sensation somewhere in his throat – a kind of pride that his Reno was so fierce, so determined.

"I should hate you," he thought, looking at Reno's crumpled body. He suspected that sleepel would work on a human for longer than it had on Loz – but with this one it was best to be cautious. Sighing, Yazoo picked up the unconscious Turk and laid him on his sleeping bag. He made up the fire, then knelt beside Reno, finally able to gaze without fear of mockery.

"Why do I love you?" Yazoo wondered aloud. "What is it about you? I should make myself hate you." He tried to look at Reno objectively – seeking flaws. The Turk was too thin – ribs starkly visible, the ridge of his collarbone, the blue-shadowed dip at the base of his throat. He was all sinew and bone and hard muscle – no softness anywhere – not like Kadaj's softness or Yazoo's own – hidden strength beneath smooth, yielding skin. No – Reno was raw – all hard lines and jutting edges. And scars – bullet wounds and the marks of blades, and one long silver line across his rib cage that must have been made by a huge sword. Reno was too thin, and too damaged to be attractive, surely? And yet Yazoo found himself longing to press his mouth against that hollow above Reno's collarbone – to fit his own body's softness against those sharp angles until edges blurred.

The bluish-white skin of Reno's throat – so pale as to be almost translucent – was marred now by the dark bruises caused by Yazoo's fingers. Very gently, Yazoo touched the marks he had made. He gazed down at Reno's face, and although he knew that it was by no means an aesthetically perfect face, he could find nothing in it that he didn't love.

_Why?_ Yazoo asked himself again. _Why this face? Why this man? What is the use of love when it brings nothing but misery? He tried to kill me – I should kill him. That would make Loz happy. But I can't. I can't. I love him. There's nothing I can do about it. _

Yazoo covered Reno with the blanket from his own bed, and sat beside him, watching, waiting patiently for the moment when Reno would open those amazing blue-green eyes and glare at him with the blistering force of all his human hate.

* * *

**TBC. Thanks for reading. **


	8. What We Want to Believe

**Thank you lovely reviewers and readers for waiting so patiently. **

**Chapter warnings: Yazoo just can't help himself. m/m stuff. Mind you, if you object to that, you probably won't be reading this story anyway XD**

**Reno swears a lot. Nothing new there then. **

* * *

**Play With Me Chapter 8**

**What We Want to Believe**

Loz's heavy footfalls shook the wooden frame of the inn as he descended the uncarpeted stairs. The innkeeper looked up from the desk nervously, but Loz only nodded at him and said, "Has my brother arrived?"

"Not yet, Sir. Can I take your breakfast order?"

Loz liked being called Sir. He couldn't recall anyone treating him with this much respect before. Kadaj sometimes shouted at him, or acted as though he was too stupid to understand, and Yazoo… Yazoo was different at different times. Yazoo could be rough or gentle – moody or playful – or sometimes just quiet and sad. He treated Loz as an equal usually, although there was often impatience if Loz didn't understand something the first time Yazoo explained it. He could sometimes be mocking… and now that he thought he loved that Turk he didn't want Loz any more.

Loz felt tears threatening and turned away abruptly, saying, "Yes. Breakfast."

"What would you like, Sir?"

"Anything. Food. Plenty of food – I have to go somewhere today."

The innkeeper hurried away to the kitchen, wondering where in Gaia the man was intending to go and shaking his head gloomily, reckoning that his chances of payment were slim.

Loz sat at one of the low wooden tables in the bar area, his knees pressing uncomfortably against the underside of the tabletop. Most humans were so small – like that skinny, red-haired Turk who – no. Don't think about _him_. The other one had been bigger – the one he'd fought with – and strong too. But Loz had no desire to go chasing after him like Yazoo had done with the red one. Yazoo was ill – that much was clear. Either something had gone wrong with the process that brought them back – Loz had never really understood how it worked – or it was that horrible red Turk – some kind of power he was using. Loz couldn't bear to wait another night. He was going to go to the Forgotten City – find Kadaj. Kadaj would know what to do: Kadaj always knew what to do. The Turk had been lying when he said Kadaj wasn't coming back. That one _always_ lied.

And if Kadaj wasn't there? Well then – then… Loz frowned, staring down at the tabletop. He didn't look up as the innkeeper brought food and drink –a type of stimulant, dark brown and bitter flavoured. Coffee? That was it. And eggs, and cooked bread, and some sort of meat. All right – good. Food was good. And then he'd find Kadaj. And if Kadaj wasn't there?

Loz shook his head and started to eat. Kadaj would be there. Where else could he be?

x-x-x

Reno awoke to the awareness of intense pain in his left wrist. His neck hurt too, and when he tried to speak his voice was a harsh whisper.

"Ah – _fuck_!" was as far as he got before he decided silence was the better option. He sat up, went to massage his wrist and stopped immediately, wincing as his fingers touched the tight, swollen flesh. His wrist was badly broken; the tissue around it hot, red and tender, and twice its normal size.

Yazoo watched him, experiencing another new sensation – this curious feeling of pain on another's behalf – _sympathy_? He'd heard the word – or Sephiroth had – but Yazoo had never felt anything like it before. _Pity_ he'd felt briefly over the last few days: in the cave, when he'd realised how much his games had hurt Reno, and on the mountainside when Reno had looked so exhausted and so cold. But this feeling – though allied to pity – was different. It was so strange – as if Reno's body and his own were connected in some mysterious way so that he could imagine, quite vividly, Reno's suffering. Even with his brothers it hadn't been like this. He could laugh at Loz's tears because they were pathetic and they amused him – just as Loz could laugh at _him_. And those people in the square, shouting their hate just because they'd borrowed the children – their anger had bemused him and it had been irritating noise. But _this_! It gave Yazoo actual pain that Reno was hurt, but the pain was not located in Yazoo's wrist where Reno's injury was; it was in his chest somewhere.

And yet if he cured Reno, Reno would try to kill him again - Yazoo was certain of that. _Tenacious_ – a word Sephiroth had sometimes used to compliment a SOLDIER who exhibited an ability to stick to a task until it was achieved – a quality Sephiroth had particularly admired. Reno was tenacious. It would be stupid to cure him – dangerous, even. But he was in so much pain!

Yazoo knelt beside Reno and examined the injury as gently as he could. It was bad – he could see that – bones crushed, and the skin broken. But Yazoo found that he was actually afraid of Reno – of being wounded like that again. "You tried to kill me," he said, his voice carefully calm. "You almost succeeded – but my Restore is a part of me. I was healing even as you made the wound. You _can't_ kill me, Reno, you see?"

Reno shook his head. "Has to be a way," he rasped.

"Shh. You'll damage your vocal cords."

"Cure me then."

"No."

"Why not? You're lying – I _can _kill you."

"You can't – but you'll try. I can't die – but it _hurts_. I don't want –"

"Cure my fucking throat then. Shit!"

"I can't – if I cast Cure it will cure everything. I'm sorry – I know it hurts…" Yazoo stroked Reno's hair, almost absentmindedly. "It will get better in time."

Reno jerked his head aside, irritated. "Don't do that!"

Yazoo sighed. "Not even that?

"Not anything! Fuck – how many times? Leave. Me. _Alone_! Ow – _fuck_!" Reno's voice caught and he coughed harshly. Yazoo watched him. "You tried to kill me," he repeated. "You know I can kill you – but I'm keeping you safe. Doesn't that mean _anything_?"

"Yeah," Reno whispered. "Means you've got some weird obsession goin' on. Look – like I told you – you're hot – you're more than hot. Can't you just go to Edge or where-the-fuck-ever, and find someone interested who doesn't want to kill you? You could have anyone!"

"Except you."

"Yeah. Except me."

"You're the only one who can fight me."

"Rude could fight you."

"He's not so fast. And he's not –"

"What?"

"He's not _you_."

Reno turned his head away, disgusted. "You're crazy."

Yazoo said nothing. Reno scowled at the wall for a while, before boredom and pain got the better of him. Turning back to face Yazoo, who knelt beside him patiently, Reno croaked, "Sephiroth must have had plenty of sex. He had fans all over Gaia. Had his own fan club – magazines, the works. Why're you fixated on _me_?"

Yazoo shook his head. "You're wrong. Sephiroth never had anyone. He was a soldier – he fought. When he wasn't fighting he read, or slept, or he saw his friends. There were only a few people he ever really spoke to: Genesis, Angeal, Director Lazard and Hojo. He almost never talked to a woman socially. He… didn't like Hojo. He hated the President. There was that boy – Zack… He felt amused by him, sometimes. Other people didn't really make an impression on him. It was a bit like it was for us, when we were here before. We had a job to do – nothing else mattered."

Reno stared at Yazoo, distracted from his pain by sheer astonishment. "Oh c'm_on_!" he exclaimed, "You're not seriously telling me _Sephiroth_ was a virgin?"

Yazoo looked surprised. "Of course. I keep telling you, _you_ were the only one who ever caught his imagination. He never noticed anyone else – not in that way."

"But –" Yazoo's revelation achieved what not even the injuries to Reno's throat had done – it left him speechless.

Yazoo smiled. "You're shocked by that?"

"Yeah. But you – _you're_ not –"

"No, naturally not. There were always three of us."

"But – that's it? You mean – apart from each other?"

Yazoo shrugged. "People we played with, if that counts. But there wasn't much time for that. As I told you, we had a purpose." He waved a graceful hand in dismissal. "None of that matters. All that matters is that I make you understand that you love me. That's my only purpose now."

Reno's frustration combusted. He struggled to his feat holding his broken wrist against his chest as protection. With his good hand he gathered up the clothes he'd laid out to dry on the previous evening, and dragged on his pants, then attempted the shirt. The friction of the sleeve and cuff against his left wrist was so painful it made Reno's eyes water, but he thrust his arm into the sleeve with a stifled gasp, and fastened a couple of the shirt buttons with his right hand. Jamming his feet into his boots, Reno headed for the door without a word, his eyebrows contracted into a fierce scowl. Yazoo waited until Reno's good hand was on the door latch, then asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back to Edge. Back to my fucking _life_!"

"You'll never make it."

"It's not that far to Icicle Inn."

"Loz is almost certainly at Icicle Inn."

"Yeah – well I'll take my chances. You know what? Compared to you I kinda _like_ Loz. At least he tells it like it is."

Yazoo folded his arms, and gave Reno a cynical look. "Loz hates you."

"Yeah. Well, better his hate than your so-called love. You wanna stop me, I guess you're just going to have to kill me. I'm done." Reno opened the door and stepped out into the chilly morning air.

Yazoo watched him leave, but made no move to prevent his departure.

x-x-x

Dr. Larson, not unhappy at having been woken by the innkeeper's wife with the prospect of an interesting out-of-season case, walked into the reception area, removing his gloves and tucking them under his arm. "Where's the patient, Pavel?" he demanded.

"Shh!" the innkeeper replied, with a panicked glance in the direction of the restaurant area. "He's in there. He's not a patient, exactly. We just wanted your opinion."

"Right. Lottie told me he seems a bit odd."

"Yes. And I thought… Well – I'd like your opinion first."

"Okay. It's nice to have something to do! There aren't so many broken limbs to deal with at this time of year…"

Dr. Larson walked up to Loz's table, and held out his hand. "Good morning. I'm Abel Larson, Icicle Inn's chief medical practitioner."

Loz glanced up. "Have you seen my brother?"

"I'm afraid I haven't had that pleasure."

The man's words were confusing, and Loz frowned. It _would_ be a pleasure to see Yazoo, of course – Yazoo was beautiful - but how could this man know that, if he _hadn't_ seen him?

"What do you mean?" Loz asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Um – I'm afraid I haven't seen your brother, no," the doctor replied slowly. "Is he… missing?"

"No – he's with that Turk," Loz said, scornfully. "But he'll be here soon. I told that man – Yazoo will give him the money, when he comes."

"Would you mind telling me your name?" Larson asked. Loz shook his head. "No. You don't need to know that. I have to go now." Loz shoved his empty plate away and got to his feet, towering over the doctor, who summoned his courage and asked, "Where are you going?"

"That's not your business," Loz replied.

"Will you be coming back?"

"I might. If I find my brother I might bring him here."

"Your brother - Yazoo?"

Loz reached forward and grabbed the startled doctor by the throat. "How do you know that name?"

"Uh – y – you mentioned it – a minute ago!"

Loz thought back, and realised that the little man was telling the truth. He released Larson abruptly. "All right. No - not Yazoo – my other brother. No more questions."

Without another word, taking no notice of the innkeeper and his wife at all, Loz opened the door and strode out into the bright, cold morning.

Larson stared after him.

Pavel joined him by Loz's abandoned table. "Well?"

"Ex SOLDIER," the doctor said. "I'm sure of it. But something's wrong with him. He mentioned a Turk, and implied his brother's name is Yazoo. He might be bringing another brother here."

"What should we do?" Pavel asked, nervously. "I don't like it. SOLDIER? Turks? I thought those days were over. Oh Shiva!"

"Don't worry," Larson told him, more confidently than he felt. "I'll contact the WRO. They're in charge of clearing up Shin-Ra's messes now."

"Good, yes. But – just in case – I think I'll close the inn. Lottie's sister lives in Bone Village. I think we might pay a visit…"

"Yes," Dr. Larson agreed. "Just to be on the safe side. I don't think he's dangerous – but what they've been saying on the news recently… All that secret Deepground stuff last year… We don't want any of that old Midgar nonsense in Icicle."

"No! Thanks, Abe. I'll – see you soon." Pavel hurried off towards the stairs, calling, "Lottie? We'd better pack. We're going to see your sister!"

x-x-x

Reno walked south, in what he judged to be the approximate direction of Icicle Inn. The day was cloudless, and although the still air contained the icy taint of the snowfields to the north, the sun was bright enough to make Reno feel actually warm. There was no sign of Yazoo, and Reno tried to persuade himself that the remnant had finally given up, although he knew this was almost certainly a false hope. Yazoo's obsession disturbed Reno – but the idea that it stemmed from some attraction Sephiroth had secretly harboured towards him couldn't help but be intriguing. Flattering even.

_Why didn't Sephiroth ever say anything?_ Reno wondered. _Fuck – I wish he had. Before Nibelheim he was so… Yazoo was right – I would've said yes like a shot. Wonder what it would've been like? Bet it would've been good. Better than good…_

Perhaps it was the direction Reno's fantasies took as he followed this train of thought, but by midday he was feeling uncomfortably hot. When he reached a small mountain stream he knelt to plunge his hands into the water – sighing with relief as the numbing cold dulled the pain in his wrist. He splashed a palm-full of cool water onto his face, and then put his hand against his forehead suddenly realizing that heat was radiating from his skin. Shit – a fever was the last thing he needed, especially in his present battered state. His mangled wrist must be infected, he realised, cursing.

Glancing back the way he had come, Reno wondered what to do. If he went back to Yazoo, he was fairly sure that the remnant would cure him rather than risk losing him to a fever. But everything in his soul rebelled at turning back – at asking Yazoo for help. There would be a doctor at Icicle Inn – antibiotics – maybe even someone with a potion, or materia. The town couldn't be more than a day's walk from here. He only had to make it to the first occupied house – approach carefully in case Loz was about – ask for help there. _Human _help. Yes.

"Not going back," Reno said, beginning to walk again. His voice sounded strange in his ears – rough from the bruised tissue of his throat – but also oddly echoing and distant. Weird. "I'll be okay," Reno told himself, not realising that he was still speaking aloud. "Fevers don't take hold that fast – I can make it to Icicle. Yeah. It'll be fine."

x-x-x

Loz had stolen a small motorbike from in front of a chalet on the outskirts of Icicle Inn. Getting it to start hadn't been all that easy, but he'd managed it alone – Yazoo was normally the expert when it came to vehicles – and he felt quite proud of himself as he rode along the dirt road that would take him close to the Forgotten City. Loz wasn't sure how he knew the way, but he was certain that he did. Last time the Ancient city had been their base – and he still thought of the silent, silver trees and mysteriously gleaming, motionless pools as the familiar landscape of home.

Riding for most of the day, Loz reached the smooth, concave stones of the pathway leading into the heart of the city. The sun was low in the sky, and, once he'd turned off the engine, leaving the bike and continuing on foot, Loz found himself walking in deep silence. He remembered this about the Forgotten City – the lack of motion. No birds came here – no breezes ever seemed to ripple the still pools or shake the branches of the quiet trees. Loz's footsteps made the only sound, and even that seemed dully muffled.

When he reached the pool where Kadaj had brought the children to Mother, Loz stopped walking. There was no sign of life anywhere.

"Kadaj!" he called, and, although his voice was strong, the silence swallowed it. "Kadaj!"

No reply. Loz sat beside the pool, watching the water darkening as the sun slipped behind the trees. He remembered the darkness that had flowed from Kadaj as he had walked into the water – Mother's power, spreading into those children – making them understand. It had been – beautiful. Loz had never really understood how any of it worked, but it had made him happy. It was what Mother wanted. That time, Kadaj had often done things on his own, sending Yazoo and Loz on other errands. He was probably busy now. Loz decided that the best thing to do would be to wait.

The colour drained from the sky, and the pool went black. When the moon rose, a narrow curl of brilliance above the trees, Loz watched the water change to silver. He felt suddenly very tired, as he had never done last time. These forms were not fixed – he knew that. If he wanted to – if he let go – he could dissolve as easily as breathing out – into the black energy of Mother's life force. Perhaps that was what Kadaj had done? Yazoo wouldn't mind…

No. Loz straightened, and frowned. No. That would leave Yazoo alone with the Turk! Jumping to his feet, Loz began to shout, "Kadaj! Where are you? I need your help! Kadaj!"

But there was only silence.

x-x-x

Reno wasn't sure which way he was heading. The crescent moon was bright enough to allow him to see, but his mind was wandering, and he couldn't seem to focus. He passed a stand of pine trees that looked familiar. Surely he hadn't somehow doubled back on himself?

Now that the sun had set the air was icy, but Reno felt sick with heat – sweat beading on his forehead and trickling between his shoulder blades. This wasn't right. He was ill – but he couldn't think what to do about it. All he knew was that he had to get to Icicle Inn – he couldn't turn back – because something was after him…

"Keep – going –" Reno panted, stumbling forward. He felt dizzy – the moonlight was hurting his eyes –

"Rude, man," Reno mumbled, "you need to hurry up with that chopper. I can't –"

There was someone in front of him – someone who looked familiar.

"Sephiroth?" Reno murmured, incredulous, but not afraid. He closed his eyes for a moment, exhausted suddenly, and when he opened them the person was much closer. A cold hand touched his temple.

"Reno! You're so hot!"

Reno sniggered. "Believe it! You're – not so bad – yourself…"

Yazoo caught Reno as he fell forward, and lowered him gently to the ground. Reno struggled feebly. "No – no – gotta get to Healen. Rufus will –"

"Reno!" Yazoo leaned over Reno, pressing his fingers against the pulse in Reno's neck, his own heart lurching when he felt the frantic, fluttering beats.

"Reno!" Forgetting his fear of being attacked, Yazoo cast Cure, watching as Reno's body was bathed in green light. But something was wrong. The bruises on his throat faded, and the swelling around his broken wrist reduced immediately as, beneath the skin, bone shifted and re-grew. But Reno's eyes remained wide and unfocussed, and his words made no sense: "… doesn't kill you makes you stronger, yeah Tseng? Ain't that what you said?"

"Reno – I'm Yazoo!"

"Yeah – it was. But I got away. You – shouldn't send Elena after them. I'll go."

"Reno… You're ill."

"Nah – I'm fine. You know me, Boss. I'm _always_ fine."

"Reno? It's me – Yazoo. Wake up."

Reno smiled at Yazoo, his focus suddenly sharp. Reaching up with his left hand – seemingly free from pain – Reno touched Yazoo's hair.

"So _fucking_ beautiful!" he said.

Yazoo moved back hastily, but Reno said, "Come here." Yazoo's eyes narrowed. Was this a trick? He was too far from Reno for his uncontrollable attractive force to be influencing the Turk. "What do you want?" he asked.

"You," Reno said. "C'mon. I know you're interested."

"Yes – of course – but –"

"If you don't want –"

"I _do_!" Yazoo moved towards Reno cautiously. As soon as he was near enough Reno sat up and reached out to catch Yazoo's wrist, pulling him close.

"Reno –" Yazoo began, but Reno leaned forward and kissed him.

Yazoo tried not to think, focussing on sensation alone. Reno was so different from either Loz or Kadaj – his kisses were so much better, so thrilling in their difference. Kissing his brothers was too familiar in every sense – too easy. Despite the physical differences between them, they both tasted exactly the same. When he played with them it was good – but everything was too smooth – too choreographed. Really it had been like making love to himself, and, aside from a brief physical release, where was the satisfaction in that? Reno was human, and tasted like no one but Reno. His kisses were humanly flawed – his lips were too dry, he was impetuous and inaccurate and rough – and Yazoo had never wanted anything more than for Reno to keep kissing him.

Somewhere in Yazoo's mind there was a sense of doubt. Uneasy questions nagged at his conscience – _Why is he doing this, now? What if the Cure hasn't fully worked? What if he doesn't really want –_

But Reno's clever hands were on him – fingers caught in his hair and unfastening zippers… Yazoo's clothes were removed with swift efficiency and then Reno's breath was hot against his neck – the tease of a quick, wet tongue - sharp kisses – teeth –

Yazoo stopped thinking, letting Reno pull him down onto the ground – the litter of leaves and fallen pine needles surprisingly soft beneath him as Reno's weight pressed him down.

"Reno – please!" Yazoo heard himself cry, thrusting his hips upwards, grinding himself against Reno in frank desperation. Reno's low laughter was incredulous. "You want it _that_ much? Fuck – I'd never've thought…"

"Yes – I want _you_ that much," Yazoo panted, as Reno ran light fingers over Yazoo's aching cock, stroking his balls just hard enough to make him shudder with searing pleasure, before reaching further back to push inside him.

Yazoo threaded his fingers through Reno's hair, pulling him down into a long, slow kiss, sliding his other hand between them to play with Reno's beautiful, hard cock. This was perfect – this was all Yazoo had been longing for since he'd first encountered his fierce, red Turk two years ago in that square in Edge, and looked into his eyes, and _known_…

_But – what changed his mind? _

Yazoo ignored the question. Reno's mouth was on his neck again, fingers driving into him – the ache of it so damn _good_ - and all he could think of to say was, "_Please – now – please_!"

"Yeah?" Reno smiled and kissed him, almost tenderly. "Funny – always imagined with _you_ it'd be the other way around."

_What? _wondered Yazoo – but then Reno was inside him, and he could only feel and allow his body to respond, rocking up into Reno's hard thrusts, letting himself believe that this was – more than – more –

"More!" Yazoo moaned. "Harder!"

"Hell – yeah!" Reno agreed, fingers tight on Yazoo's hip, slamming into him until both of them were moaning with every thrust.

Yazoo felt that he was on the point of dissolution – losing his hold on his physical form – fracturing into –

"Reno!" he sobbed, and his climax broke him into pieces so that for a moment he lost all understanding of who he was. He remembered – Junon – the sun setting golden over the sea – a sudden flash of red, and the vision of a young man – a Turk by the uniform – fighting as he'd never seen any mere unenhanced human fighting before. The sudden spark of desire.

_I love you_, he wanted to say. _I've always loved you!_ But he had no voice.

And then – slowly – he became aware of himself again – and Reno was still moving inside him, and so close -

"Ah _Fuck_!" Reno cried as he came, beautifully dishevelled, head thrown back. "Sephiroth!"

Yazoo froze, understanding all the more bitter because he'd known, really. Reno rolled off to the side, resting his head against Yazoo's shoulder. Yazoo didn't move.

"Always knew it would be fucking fantastic," Reno murmured. "Wish you'd said before…"

"Sorry," whispered Yazoo, turning his head away, so Reno wouldn't see his sudden tears. "I – should have told you…"

"Better late than never," yawned Reno, curling against Yazoo, closing his eyes. "Mind if I crash here for a while?"

"No," Yazoo replied, somehow managing to keep his voice steady. "No – I don't mind."

When he was sure Reno was asleep, Yazoo turned to look at him. He felt sick with the certainty that, once the Cure had worked properly and Reno's mind had recovered as well as his body clearly had, his hatred for Yazoo would be stronger than ever.

_But you knew_, Yazoo told himself angrily. _You knew he would never have done that if he was in his right mind. He thought you were Sephiroth… Everyone wanted Sephiroth in one way or another. Mother wanted him, too. You're just a shadow of him, like Reno said. A bad copy. And now you've done the one thing he didn't want – the thing he'll hate most of all..._

_Perhaps he'll forget? Perhaps he'll think he was dreaming?_

Clinging to that faint hope, Yazoo eased Reno's head gently off his shoulder and, moving silently, dressed himself. It was tempting to cast Sleepel on Reno, but he was afraid of the consequences. It seemed that all the potions and Cures Reno had been exposed to in the last few days had overloaded his system, weakened as it was by cold and near starvation. He needed natural sleep now – the Cure the planet had intended for humans. Yazoo went to the pack he had brought from the SOLDIER base and found two blankets and bottled water. It was lucky, he reflected, that Reno had kept most of his clothes on.

Kneeling beside Reno, Yazoo poured a little water onto the corner of one of the blankets, and wrung it out until it was almost dry and no longer cold. Working with extreme care he cleaned up Reno as best he could, pausing, breathless, each time he moved in his sleep. Then Yazoo refastened Reno's pants, did up two of his shirt buttons, and covered him in the dry blanket. Reno sighed as Yazoo draped the blanket over him, but didn't wake.

Dry branches were plentiful, and it took Yazoo minutes to build a fire, lighting it using the trick Genesis had taught Sephiroth – flames sparking to life in his hand. Arms around his knees, Yazoo sat beside the fire and watched Reno sleeping. Was it possible that Reno would forget? What would he do if he remembered?

Despite the knowledge that Reno had only wanted him believing him to be Sephiroth, Yazoo couldn't bring himself to regret what had happened. Reno had been irresistible – how was that Yazoo's fault? And it had been so good – so nearly perfect.

_One day_, Yazoo vowed, _you will come to me like that, knowing that it's_ me _and not_ him. _I will wait for you to love me, Reno. However long it takes._

x-x-x

"Say what you like about Shin-Ra," Dr. Larson muttered to himself, dialling the WRO helpline for the fifth time that evening, "but at least things used to work in the old days." He'd been trying to call on and off all day, always getting the same recorded message: _your call is important to the World Regenessis Organisation. Please hold the line and one of our trained operatives will be with you shortly – _followed by a tinny version the slow movement of the _Gaia _symphony on a loop.

Sighing, Larson was about to end the call when a cheerful voice announced, "Welcome to the WRO helpline. My name is Melanie, how can I be of assistance?"

"I need to speak to Commissioner Reeve," Larson told her firmly. "It's a matter of great importance."

"I'm afraid the Commissioner isn't available without an appointment," Melanie replied. "If you'd like to leave a message?"

"No," Larson said firmly, "I would not like to leave a message. I live in Icicle Inn, NC, and I believe there are Shin-Ra ex-SOLDIERS and Turks in the area. Now, I could go direct to Rufus Shinra about this – but I was under the impression that Reeve was in charge these days?"

"I'm – uh – not sure… I'll see whether I can…"

"Never mind," Larson snapped, ending the call, and immediately dialling directory enquiries.

"What name?" a voice asked.

"New Shin-Ra, Edge."

"Connecting you now."

The woman who replied was briskly efficient. When Larson had given his name and outlined the situation, she said, "I'm afraid the President is unavailable, but I'm putting you through to Public Relations. They should be able to help you."

"Thank you," Larson replied. There was a brief pause and then a calm, male voice said, "Good evening Doctor Larson. My name is Tseng, Director of PR. I understand you have information regarding possible sightings of members of SOLDIER and the Turks?"

Larson described the strange man, and all that he had said regarding his brothers – Yazoo, and an unnamed one - and a Turk. Tseng listened politely, then said, "Thank you, Doctor. I would appreciate it if you would keep this information to yourself for the time being, to avoid undue public concern. I will be despatching a team to Icicle Inn immediately to assess the situation. One of my employees will contact you upon arrival, if you have no objections?"

"Um - yes – yes, of course. Uh – my number –"

"Don't worry, Doctor Larson," Tseng replied. "We have your number."

"Oh – good. Well – thank you…"

Larson pressed the 'end call' button, and stood for a moment looking at the phone in his hand, wondering how in Gaia a perfectly polite PR man had managed to leave him feeling so unaccountably nervous.

Tseng called Rufus. "Sir? I've just had an interesting conversation with a man at Icicle Inn. It seems we may finally have a lead about Reno. Yes, Sir, it is good news. But I'm afraid there is some additional information, which is rather less good news…"


	9. Let Go

**Thank you to anyone who's still reading after all this time. **

**Yazoo decides to change tactics.**

* * *

** Let Go**

Rude watched from the cockpit of the helicopter as Bone Village appeared on the horizon. After so many years of being partnered with Reno it felt odd seeing Tseng in the pilot's seat, even though Rude had often flown with the boss in the past.

Questions formed themselves in Rude's mind, but asking them seemed pointless. They all boiled down to _do you think he's okay?_ And Tseng had no way of knowing the answer to that any more than he did. Tseng seemed in no mood to talk in any case, and Rude wondered how he felt about the possibility of meeting the Sephiroth remnants again. Neither Tseng nor Elena had ever spoken to him about what had happened after their capture at the Northern Cave, although Rude suspected that Rufus knew the details, but he was sure that Tseng's decision to leave Elena as Rufus' guard was motivated by the desire to spare her a repeat encounter with any of the remnants. It was always possible that this situation had nothing to do with those creatures, and that the similarities between the description given by the doctor from Icicle Inn and the remnant called Loz were merely coincidental – but Rude thought that was probably wishful thinking. _Someone_ had taken Reno from a quiet street in Edge – and Reno wasn't an easy person to persuade to go anywhere against his will. He'd managed to drop his ID as a sign – which meant he'd been unable to escape.

"It was Loz," Tseng confirmed, with a curt nod, as though Rude's thoughts had been audible. "He apparently mentioned to the doctor that his brother was called Yazoo."

Rude inclined his head. "Okay." He didn't ask why Tseng hadn't mentioned this piece of intelligence earlier, noting the tension in Tseng's hand on the cyclic and the way his eyes remained focussed on the horizon. "What about Kadaj?"

"Loz mentioned another brother, although not by name," Tseng replied. "But he said that Yazoo was with a Turk and he told the innkeeper that it was 'a thin man with red hair'."

"Reno held his ground against Yazoo before," Rude said, not looking at Tseng.

"Yazoo wasn't the strongest of them," Tseng replied. "But he was very dangerous. I wish we had some idea of what they want, this time. If they've had Reno as a hostage all this time, then why haven't they made any demands?"

Rude shook his head. "I don't know."

In the silence that followed, both of them found themselves missing Reno's usual inconsequential talk.

At last Tseng said, "We'll be landing in Icicle Inn in five minutes."

"Good," Rude replied. "And then we'll find him."

x-x-x

Reno woke from a dream that he gradually became aware hadn't been a dream at all. He lay still, eyes closed, not wanting Yazoo to realise that he was awake. What had he done? _Shit!_ How had he mixed up Yazoo and Sephiroth? How had he failed to remember that Sephiroth was fucking _dead_? Had it been the effects of the fever, or that weird influence of Yazoo's that took over his mind whenever the remnant was near? Whichever it had been, Yazoo had used it – had taken advantage – taken Reno's only remaining piece in this sick game of chess they'd been playing. Did that mean Yazoo had won? Reno thought, trying to keep control over his fury, trying to ignore the memory of how damn _good_ it had been.

There was one chance that Reno could see, provided his acting was up to it – one way to keep a grip on his only hold over Yazoo. Rolling onto his back, Reno opened his eyes, focussing with unfeigned difficulty. From the other side of a still-smouldering campfire, Yazoo was watching him. The remnant's expression was wary.

Reno flexed his fingers; made a show of examining his healed wrist. "What the fuck happened?" he asked, frowning.

Yazoo looked at him, without speaking.

"You used cure on me?" Reno asked.

Yazoo nodded slowly. "I was afraid you'd die. You had a fever."

"Yeah. I remember feeling hot. Burning. What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not much. You were walking down the road. I – I thought I was back in Midgar. Healen. Somewhere… I'm not sure."

"I cured you, but you had some kind of a reaction. You seemed to be hallucinating – talking a lot – about your work, I think. You mentioned Tseng and Elena. Sephiroth…"

"Yeah. I remember something about Sephiroth."

Yazoo almost flinched at that. He looked away. "As I said, I think you were hallucinating."

"Right." Reno shrugged. "Whatever – I seem to be okay now. So – what? You just sat there all night?"

Yazoo still didn't look at Reno directly. If he hadn't known better, Reno might have suspected the remnant of having a guilty conscience. "I – wanted to make sure you were all right," Yazoo murmured.

Reno scoffed. "Yeah – my fuckin' guardian angel. Well – thanks an' all, but I'll be fine from here on in. I'll be in Icicle by dark – call my boss – get out of here."

Yazoo looked up at that. "You can't," he said, his voice firm. "Loz will be in Icicle. He'll kill you. He'll kill you this time, even if I try to stop him. He's stronger than me, and he thinks killing you will stop me from loving you."

"You don't love me. You've got some kind of a – a stupid crush – because of some insane idea you've got hold of that Sephiroth was interested in me.

"No – you're wrong, Reno. I _do _love you, and you will love me. The more I consider it, the more I think that you're the reason I'm here. You're my mission – I need to be with you. I can't let you go to Icicle Inn. It's too dangerous."

"You can't stop me, unless you're going to kill me or knock me out."

"I could do either of those things, and you couldn't prevent it," Yazoo said, his eyes narrowing.

"Yeah," Reno agreed. "You could. But you won't."

"I will if you try to go to Icicle. I'll do anything short of killing you to keep you away from Loz. Deliberately going to where you know he is – that's virtually suicide."

Reno got to his feet, relieved to find that he no longer felt feverish or dizzy. "Well, then I can't be your mission, can I?" he said, folding the blanket Yazoo had covered him with. "If I'm the reason you're here, how come Loz wants me dead? If I really was your mission, he'd be helping you, wouldn't he? But maybe your coming back at all was a mistake – a glitch, or some random whim of whatever's left of Jenova."

"No, I don't think it's Mother. Last time we were here, she told Kadaj what to do, and he told us what had to be done. This time –" Yazoo stopped abruptly. Reno looked at him. "Yeah? What's different this time?"

"This time she's not – I mean, I don't think she's –"

"She's not what?" Reno pressed. Finally it seemed as though Yazoo might be about to let slip something useful.

"I don't know. I don't have any sense of her – and I don't think Loz does either. Like you said in the cave, I don't think Kadaj is coming back this time. If anyone sent us back – if it wasn't a – a glitch – then I think it was _him_, not her."

"Him? Sephiroth?"

"Yes."

"But he's dead."

"Mother's cells don't die. I think, after last time, they became – diluted. It's not easy to attain reunion in the lifestream. But he was so strong…"

Reno felt a renewed sense of dread. "So – what are you saying? That it's Sephiroth who's making you feel like this about me?"

"No! These are _my_ feelings! I am not Sephiroth! I will not become a vessel for him, like Kadaj was." Reno had never seen Yazoo so animated. He paced back and forth in front of the campfire, his hands in his hair, distracted. "He can't ask that. I'm not him – I'm me. Even last time, I never wanted –"

Reno's inclination was to ignore Yazoo and start walking to Icicle Inn as fast as possible, but this information might prove to be important, and he was still a Turk. He sat down on a fallen tree-trunk and tried to keep his questions casual.

"You never wanted – what? To be the chosen one, like Kadaj?"

"No. Kadaj hated the thought that Mother preferred Sephiroth to him, but he was proud that he was the one she spoke to. He used to tell us we were less important than him – we were only his lieutenants, he said. But I was glad not to be him. There were times when I – I felt that I wasn't as focussed on the mission as I should have been. I did what Mother wanted – of course I did – but sometimes things – caught my attention. Things that shouldn't have."

"What kinds of things?"

"Mostly we took no notice of people, unless we needed to use them for something. Or if we were waiting, and bored. But sometimes I used to notice how they needed to be together, and I thought it was like me, with Loz. Kadaj had Mother – I had Loz. That should have been enough, shouldn't it? Your friends – Tseng and Elena – they wanted to be together. They hated it when Kadaj said they had to be kept apart. Elena – that's the female, isn't it?"

Reno experienced a wave of longing for his friends – for his old life – swiftly followed by fury at Yazoo's mention of what the remnants had done to Tseng and Elena. Not trusting himself to speak, he gave a curt nod.

Yazoo didn't appear to notice Reno's sudden anger. "Yes – Elena. She used to cry sometimes, and ask what we'd done with Tseng. She never cried when he was there. I wondered why that was. Crying – it's just what happens when you feel sad, isn't it? But I've noticed that men don't cry so much. That female – Elena - she was trying to be brave, and I thought about why. I'm still not sure, but I think she didn't want Tseng to worry about her. She was trying to protect him. And he was the same – trying to stop us from taking her. Lying – saying she didn't know anything. But he didn't cry."

"No," said Reno. "He wouldn't."

"Do you think that's right though – that Elena was trying to stop him feeling worried about her?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I thought. Mother told Kadaj that the feelings of humans weren't important – that humanity was a scourge on the face of the planet and that it would be best eradicated. But you feel things, like I do. You have friends. You care about them – Tseng – and the one who fought with you last time. You called him Rude. And the President of Shinra."

"Yeah. I – they're my friends. And I'm gonna get back to them."

"But friends are different from lovers. Is there – one of them? Is that why you won't love me?"

Reno stared at Yazoo, then laughed. "You're asking me if one of them is my lover?"

"Yes, I am."

"Right." Reno considered lying just to piss off Yazoo, but he found he couldn't do it. The thought was too absurd. "No," he said. "None of them. I told you – they're my friends. Colleagues. More like family."

"Loz is my family," said Yazoo, "but we still –"

"Whoa! Enough. That's 'cause you're sick, yo!"

"So – you have a lover somewhere else?"

Reno smiled. "If I have, I'm not going to tell you, am I?"

"I'll give you more than he does. I'll do –"

"Who said it was a he?" Reno asked.

The look of shock on Yazoo's face almost made Reno want to laugh.

"But – the things we did – in the cave –"

"That was you, makin' me. Your influence, or whatever you want to call it."

"I don't want to call it anything. I hate it. I don't mean it to happen – not with you. Don't you think I'd rather know your _real_ reactions?"

"You do know my real reactions. You just don't like 'em. I want you dead. I want my life back. Maybe there's a girl in Edge waiting…"

"But – you said you would – with _him. _With Sephiroth."

"Yeah, so? _Some_ guys it's worth making an exception for, but it's always been girls, mainly."

"And I'm not worth making an exception for?"

"I keep tellin' you. You ever gonna listen?" Reno got to his feet and looked at Yazoo contemptuously. "It's never going to happen. Get it into your head. You _look_ like Sephiroth – kinda – but you ain't Sephiroth. You just told me you're not him. C'mon Yazoo – you gotta ask yourself – what would I see in you? Even if you hadn't tried to bring Sephiroth back to wipe humanity off the face of the planet and tortured two of my friends in the process – what would I want with you, huh? Like I said before, you'd be a one-time-only pretty fuck – if you weren't bat-shit crazy. As it is – " Reno waved his hand dismissively as though there was nothing more to be said, and started walking.

Behind him he heard Yazoo's quiet voice. "All right then."

Reno ignored him.

Yazoo ran to catch up with Reno, coming round in front of him, so that Reno was forced to stop, but not getting close enough for his influence to work.

"All right then," he said again. "You can go. I'll follow you. I can't defeat Loz in a fight, but if we see him, I'll distract him while you get away. There must be houses outside Icicle itself. You should be able to call your friends from one of those. If Loz tries to attack us, I'll do what I can to protect you. Otherwise I won't interfere. Call your friends. Go with them. I won't try to get you back."

Reno looked at Yazoo trying to decide whether the remnant was being serious, or if this was some new twist in the game. To his surprise he found that he believed that Yazoo meant what he'd said.

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"Why are you letting me go?"

Yazoo looked at Reno, anxious and unhappy. "You say I don't love you, but I do. If this is the only way to show you – to make you believe – then I'll do it. I do love you, Reno. I don't know how else to tell you, to make you see."

Reno tried not to feel anything, but there was something so defeated in Yazoo's expression that he found he had to remind himself again of what this creature was – what it had already done.

"So – if I was your mission – I guess your mission's failed," he said.

Yazoo nodded. "I suppose it has."

"What will you do? Assuming you can avoid being captured or killed."

"I don't know. Loz will have me back, of course. He loves me. My 'influence' doesn't affect him, so I know he loves me. No one else ever will, I suppose. There were only ever the three of us, and now, only two."

"My heart fuckin' bleeds for you," muttered Reno, walking around Yazoo, wondering why he didn't feel happier. He wouldn't let himself believe that he'd won until he was actually back in the office reporting to Rufus. It was always possible that Yazoo would have a change of heart. But Reno found that he wasn't really afraid of that happening. Yazoo had looked so – broken. Back in the old days – when Shinra hadn't been all about saving the planet – Reno had interrogated a lot of people. There always came a point when you knew: when even the best liar – the most stubborn subject - cracked. Reno recognised the look.

x-x-x

Loz had wandered the paths of the Forgotten City all night, calling Kadaj's name, in vain. Perhaps Yazoo had got it wrong? It used to be that Yazoo was the clever one – the one who explained things to Loz when he found it hard to understand. Kadaj used such long words, and the things he talked about were complicated. Yazoo always had a way of making things simple, and although he sometimes got impatient and teased Loz, he always made it up afterwards. But since Yazoo had suddenly got it into his head to capture that Turk, he'd become more stupid. Why had Loz listened to him, when he'd said that Kadaj wasn't coming to the cave? That was the Turk's idea – and Yazoo had believed him. Kadaj was probably there now – waiting. And he got mad if he had to wait for long. Loz hated it when Kadaj shouted at him. He couldn't go back to the cave without Yazoo – Yazoo had always been good at calming Kadaj down.

Loz smiled, remembering how Yazoo used to wait patiently until Kadaj's fury had begun to burn out, before going to him and holding him, stroking his hair. Kadaj would be shaking with frustrated rage because Mother's wishes were taking too long to fulfil, but under Yazoo's gentle hands he would still, until he rested his head against Yazoo's shoulder, and his breathing slowed. Then Yazoo would beckon Loz to them with a smile, and they would all be together again. Then, sometimes, they would play, and that was the part Loz liked best.

Loz still had no idea what they'd been sent back for, but he knew what he had to do next. Go back to Icicle Inn, find Yazoo, kill the Turk, and go back to the Northern Cave where Kadaj would be waiting. Four things. He could keep that amount in his head.

One. Go back to Icicle Inn. Loz ran back to the road where he'd left the stolen motorbike. As he kicked the machine back to life, he heard another mechanical sound somewhere above him. Looking up into the sky he made out the silhouette of a helicopter against the dim grey light of early dawn. It was a black helicopter – a shape he recognized from before. Shinra.

Loz pointed two fingers at the aircraft, grinning, remembering last time. "Bang! Bang, bang, bang!" Loz's grin faded as the helicopter disappeared in the direction of Icicle Inn. Last time, things hadn't turned out so good. There had been those bombs set by that same red Turk and his partner. That explosion had stopped them from helping Kadaj. This time, Loz was going to be the one doing the stopping, and when it was over Yazoo would be his again, and everything would be all right.

x-x-x

Tseng knocked on the door of Doctor Larson's house. Behind him Rude surveyed the empty streets. Last time he'd been here it had been winter. It was strange to see the town bare of snow, like an undecorated Festival tree.

"Is it always this quiet out of season?" Rude asked.

"I think the helicopter may have announced our arrival," Tseng replied.

The door opened and Doctor Larson greeted the Turks, smiling nervously. "Come in, come in," he said, less in welcome, Tseng suspected, than anxious to get them out of the way of inquisitive eyes, watching from behind half-drawn curtains.

"Thank you for your help," Tseng said, as the doctor showed them into a small sitting room with a blazing fire in the hearth. A colourful woven harness for a dog sled hung from a hook on the wall, and various painted tiles depicting mountain scenes ornamented the stone chimneybreast.

"Oh, only doing my duty," the doctor assured him quickly. "Would you like a drink? I have a good whiskey."

"No, thank you. We'd like information. Since you called us, have there been any more sightings of the man you spoke to or the brothers he talked about?"

Doctor Larson indicated the red-cushioned couch, and Tseng and Rude unslung their backpacks, propping them against the wall before sitting down. Larson stood by the fire. "The man I saw took a bike just after breakfast yesterday. Bren Olsen saw him heading off along the road."

"Which road?"

"There's only one road. It passes through a few small villages. At the foot of the mountains there's a fork after the bridge at Fjellstad. From there you can go to Bone Village or out into the Old Country. Not much there beyond the Ancient City."

Tseng nodded, his expression neutral. Rude glanced at him.

Larson continued, "We haven't seen him since, and there's been no sign of either of the brothers, or the red-haired Turk. He seemed to think they'd show up here in time."

"Good. We'll be staying at the inn, if you hear anything else. A Mr. Pavel Lund is the innkeeper I believe. He said you'd have the key."

"Oh – yes. It'll be cold though. It's shut up – he's gone to stay with his sister-in-law down in Bone."

"That's all right. We'll manage." Tseng and Rude stood together, as Larson took the key to the inn from a hook behind the door. He pushed it into Tseng's hand as the Turks left, unable to hide his relief at their departure.

"This will be sorted out soon, won't it?" he asked, the door already half closed.

"That's what we're here for," Tseng replied.

x-x-x

Reno found that the forest became increasingly dense as he descended the mountain. He was aware of Yazoo, trailing along behind him, always keeping him in visual range. Part of him was glad the remnant had given up, but there was also a weird feeling a lot like disappointment. At least the game with Yazoo had kept him from being too bored, and the events of the previous night were replaying themselves over and over in Reno's mind. It was hard to disassociate the memories of what had really happened from the hallucinations of Sephiroth, but he knew that it had been damned good. Whatever he may have told Yazoo to persuade him of his lack of interest, it was actually kind of a shame to think that it was never going to happen again.

_What the hell am I thinking?_ Reno asked himself. _Must be goin' crazy as he is. C'mon, hold it together. Been walking since just after dawn, and must be gone noon by now. Can't be much further before – wait! What's that?_

Some distance ahead of him, almost hidden among the trees, Reno's sharp eyes picked out the outline of a small wooden cabin – then another. Running down the slope, Reno was about to make straight for the nearest cabin when Yazoo caught up with him and grabbed his arm. "Don't!" he hissed, distressed. "Loz could be there. You have to be more careful if you're going to do this alone!"

"Why would Loz have stopped here, so close to Icicle? Anyway – thought you weren't gonna interfere –" Yazoo's eyes widened as Reno suddenly broke off what he'd been saying, and continued in an entirely different tone, "I'm sorry. Those things I said – I was lying. I do want you. You're only trying to protect me, and I was so harsh. Yazoo –"

It took all Yazoo's willpower to release Reno's arm and step away. As soon as he did so, Reno's expression hardened into cold malice. "Knew you couldn't keep away. Fuck!"

"No – I meant it. That was an accident! I forgot what would happen," Yazoo protested. "You can go. Look in the buildings – there might be a phone."

Reno looked at him, but it seemed that Yazoo was sincere. The cabins were locked and unoccupied, only used during the winter season. It took Reno one good kick to break open the door of the nearest building. Inside almost the first thing he saw was an old-fashioned black telephone with a round dial, hanging on the wall beside the door. Hardly daring to hope, he lifted the receiver off its cradle and heard a tone. From outside the door, Yazoo watched Reno's face as he carefully dialled a number. He couldn't bear the emotion he saw there – his Turk's expression suddenly open and free from anger or distrust or doubt, as he smiled with simple happiness and exclaimed, "Tseng! It's me! Yeah – I'm fine!"

x-x-x

Tseng flipped the PHS shut and turned to Rude. "Reno's all right," he said. "He's less than ten miles away, if the cabins he mentioned are the ones I think they are. He's on his way here."

Rude's smile conveyed his utter relief, before he reassumed his professional demeanour. "What about Yazoo?"

"It seems he let Reno go."

"Why?"

"Reno didn't say. I got the impression Yazoo was still around. We can't land the chopper in all those trees – We'll go out to meet him on foot. Equip all the materia you can – we can't take any chances."

"What about Loz?"

"That's another reason to get to Reno quickly, before Loz comes back. I'll call Larson. If Loz does come back, he can send him after us. That will keep the town safe at least."

Rude frowned. "Yeah. But if Loz comes back with Kadaj we'll be in trouble."

"Then let's move quickly."

Rude only nodded in reply, already unpacking his materia case from his rucksack.

"I doubt elemental attacks will hit them," Tseng said, slotting a Restore into one of his guns, and a Barrier into the other. "The report we had from Tifa after she talked to Marlene said they seemed to be able to absorb materia into themselves. You could try Mystify. Anything conscious should be affected by that."

Rude pressed two softly glowing green orbs into the slots on the wrist guard of his gloves, then clicked the case shut and replaced it in the rucksack.

"Ready," he said. "Let's find Reno."

x-x-x

Yazoo watched Reno replace the receiver. As the Turk exited the cabin Yazoo said, "That was Tseng?"

"Yeah."

"Tseng hates me."

"I'm not fuckin' surprised, are you?"

Yazoo looked at the ground. "You're really going back to them."

"Hell Yeah! Can't wait to get home."

Yazoo shook his head, and raised those unearthly green eyes to Reno's. "You'll think about me," he said. "You will realise that you love me, in the end."

"Shit – you never give up, do ya? How many times can you repeat the same old crap? You do know they're not gonna let two crazy remnants wander around the planet don'tcha? Either Shinra, or the WRO, or both, gonna hunt you down. So yeah – I'll think about you until I hear that someone put a bullet in your brain, and then I'll buy a drink for whoever pulled the trigger, and that'll be the last time I think about you, yo."

Yazoo sighed. "That may well happen. A bullet might be fast enough to kill me. But death isn't the same for me as it is for you – it won't stop me coming back."

Reno started walking towards Icicle Inn again, trying to ignore the cold feeling Yazoo's words caused in his gut. Not only a psycho stalker – but a psycho stalker who could come back from the dead? That just wasn't playing fair!

No point worrying about that now. Yazoo could be bluffing anyway. It seemed pretty clear that neither of the remnants had any idea about why they'd been sent back. If it had been a glitch, as Reno suspected, what were the chances of the same thing happening twice? Get to Tseng – get home. That was Reno's only aim for the immediate future.

x-x-x

Tseng and Rude walked quickly down the steep hillside north of Icicle Inn. The slopes were used for skiing and snowboarding in winter but now the snow was gone the ground was covered with patches of short, springy grass scattered between rocky outcrops. Small yellow and white flowers grew in sheltered places, reminding both Turks of the ones that had once bloomed in a church in Midgar.

Tseng cleared his throat in the cool air. "It's a couple of miles to the bottom of the slope. After that, it's all uphill to Reno's location."

"Hm," Rude nodded.

The two men walked on in silence, both of them taking care not to step on the flowers.

x-x-x

Loz wasn't sure why he felt such a sense of urgency, but he rode the bike at top speed all the way back to Icicle Inn. It was mid-afternoon by the time he reached the inn. He abandoned the bike in the street and hammered on the locked door. Where was everyone?

Behind him a rather shaky voice said, "I'm afraid the inn's closed."

Loz turned and looked down at the little bearded man he remembered as the one who had asked him all those questions about his brothers.

"It can't be closed. I'm staying here."

"I'm afraid the innkeeper's sister-in-law was taken ill. He had to go to visit her."

"Huh. Did my brother arrive?"

"No. Two Turks did though. They went to look for your brother and the other Turk."

Loz frowned, remembering the helicopter. "Which way did they go?"

Larson remembered what Tseng had told him to say – _send him out of town, but keep directions vague. _"They headed North," he said.

"Back towards the Northern Cave?" Loz asked, feeling a powerful yearning for Kadaj.

"Yes," Larson said. He waved in a roughly northerly direction. "Out that way."

"Good," said Loz. "I will find them."

So, the plan had changed slightly. Find Yazoo. Kill all the Turk_s_. Get to Kadaj at the Northern Cave. Three things. Easy.

Loz turned away from Larson, and started walking northwards without a backwards glance.

x-x-x

The sunlight was beginning to mellow to gold as Reno emerged from the forested slopes into an open meadow covered in yellow and white flowers. To the east a small, almost circular lake mirrored the blue sky – a perfect image for a tourist postcard. Come to think of it, that lake did look familiar… Reno suddenly realised that he'd been in this place before – years ago, when he'd been part of the President's security detail on one of his many winter holidays. The whole area had been covered in snow then, of course, but Reno was sure that the lake was the same one where a teenaged Rufus Shinra had laughed at his first faltering attempts at ice skating – at least until he'd got the hang of it. By the end of the week it had been Rufus struggling to keep up…

Reno grinned at the memory, and at the realisation that he was less than three miles from Icicle Inn. He walked quickly across the meadow, stumbling slightly over hidden hollows and tussocks. Reaching the far side, he found himself looking down a long shallow slope. To his left the empty chairs of a stationary ski lift hung static in the still air. Yes – this was the place. A few hundred yards downhill – a bridge over the shallow river at the bottom – and a long climb up into Icicle. Almost there.

Something was moving on the far bank of the river – two figures. Reno's heart leaped. Tseng and Rude? Too far to be certain. Reno didn't believe that Kadaj was coming back, but just in case the figures were the remnants he headed for the ski lift and the line of trees beyond it, keeping off the open slope, making his way from tower to tower. When he was half way down he paused to look at the approaching figures more carefully. They had crossed the bridge and were making their way up the slope towards him. Both people were wearing ski jackets with the hoods up, but Reno recognised their silhouettes now. He checked behind him. There was no sign of Yazoo, but he was sure the remnant was hidden somewhere, watching.

Reno moved out into the open, and called, "Tseng! Rude! "

The two men looked up. Reno ran down the slope, almost careering into Rude as he reached him. Rude put out a steadying hand. Tseng smiled. "You look surprisingly well."

"Yeah – I'm good. Fuck, it's good to see you, Boss. Partner." Rude nodded.

"What happened to Yazoo?" Tseng asked.

"He was following me. Reckon he's up there somewhere. You wanna go after him?"

Tseng shook his head. "We'll get you back to base first – get you checked over."

"I'm fine. Look, Boss, if we let him go we might not find him again. We should finish this. You got weapons?"

"Yes. But –"

"Seriously. I tried to kill him but he cures too fast. A bullet might do it. Wanted to bring him in, but I couldn't do it. He has this – power. You can't think around him – it's –"

"I know." Tseng's expression was grim. "We're not going after him now. Not unless you think there's an immediate threat to the local population. Did he give you any idea of what he wanted?"

Reno hesitated, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Trouble was it made no sense. "No," he said. "I don't think they know. They've been sent back, but they have no purpose this time. No Mother to fight for. I – I'm not sure what they're here for. I think it might have been an accident." For some reason Reno found himself unable to mention the main point – that Yazoo seemed to believe that _he_ was the purpose of the remnants' return. It seemed so unlikely – so weird.

"Loz told a doctor at Icicle Inn that he was looking for his other brother," Tseng said. "We need to get back to Icicle anyway, in case Loz turns up there with Kadaj. We will find all of them and sent them back to the lifestream. Don't worry. But for now, we go back."

Reno nodded, suddenly aware of how exhausted he felt. He tried to tell himself that his relief was all for himself, and not because the thought of killing Yazoo made him strangely uneasy. He fell into step between Rude and Tseng, feeling, finally, that he was back where he was supposed to be. He ignored the niggling desire to look around – to check whether there was any sign of Yazoo. If the remnant had any sense he'd leave now – get as far away as possible before the pursuit began. But Yazoo really didn't seem to be operating on sense at the moment, and Reno was willing to bet he was still out there, watching, waiting to protect him from Loz if the need should arise.

"So," Reno asked, raising an eyebrow at Rude, "You miss me, Partner?"

"Hm," Rude replied, not quite smiling. "It's been – quiet."

"Peaceful," Tseng said. "Productive."

Reno snorted. "Boring."

Tseng didn't reply, but Reno knew the tone of his silence, and grinned. "What's the menu like at the inn?" he asked. "I could murder a steak."

"Inn's closed," Rude said. He reached into his pocket and threw something at Reno, who caught it one handed.

Tseng made a face as Reno peeled the wrapper – labelled _extra hot_ – from a thin stick of reddish brown salami and bit into the snack with obvious relish. "Rude," said Reno between chews, "I love you."

"That isn't part of standard rations," Tseng observed. "How can you eat that shit, Reno?"

"Fuckin' love this stuff," Reno said. "Better than rations. Can't stand mint cake and all that other mountain survival crap."

The three Turks trudged up the long slope back towards Icicle Inn. From his hiding place among the trees, Yazoo watched them. The bigger man – Rude – threw some sort of food to Reno. Reno put a hand on his shoulder briefly. They all talked together. Reno laughed. Tseng gestured to his coat, as though offering it to Reno, but Reno shook his head. Yazoo's eyes lingered on the bright line of Reno's hair against the off-white of his ruined shirt. _You'll think about me_, he thought. _You'll realise how you feel, in the end._

Suddenly Yazoo noticed a tiny movement on the slope some way above the Turks' position. Loz! Silently Yazoo began to run. He had to get to Loz before his brother made a move against Reno, because this time Yazoo knew that Loz wouldn't waste a second. One blow would be enough. Reno would die, and that was the one thing that Yazoo knew must never happen – not if his own existence were to have any meaning. He was over the bridge and had started up the slope before Loz saw him and began to run downhill towards the Turks. Tseng saw him and drew his gun instantly, but Yazoo knew that Loz could evade bullets at this range. Tseng fired, but Loz was moving so fast that the bullets appeared to pass through him. Reno turned, and as he did so Loz reached him, throwing a punch that might well have killed him had Yazoo's desperate lunge not knocked him out of the way. The force of Yazoo's shove pushed Reno to the ground. Loz roared in rage, and grabbed at Reno, catching his hair and dragging him to his feet, close against Loz's body. Tseng and Rude both held their guns aimed at the remnants, but Reno, between them, was making a clear shot almost impossible.

There was a blur of motion, and both Tseng's wrists were seized in a horribly familiar unbreakable grip, but then he found himself in the improbable position of holding Yazoo, one arm around his waist, his gun pressed to the remnant's temple.

"Don't kill him," Yazoo shouted to Loz, "or Tseng will kill me!"

Loz hesitated, still holding Reno by the hair, the fingers of his other hand around Reno's neck.

"I have to kill him," Loz said, looking at Yazoo sadly. "You'll never come back to me unless I do."

"Then I'll die too," Yazoo replied. "I can't live without him."

"If you kill him, you both die," Tseng said, unsure as to how Yazoo had suddenly become his hostage, but quite prepared to make the best advantage he could out of the situation. Rude only nodded, his gun trained on Loz's head.

"Loz," said Yazoo softly, "I'll come with you. Let him go, and I'll stay with you, I promise. It's like before – when you told me you'd let him go. I would have done that, if you'd kept your word. But you tried to kill him."

Loz's expression was full of simple misery. "I'm sorry! I thought you'd forget about him once he was dead. I still think it's best."

"No. Loz – please. I need him to be alive. But I'll stay with you, if you let him go. I'll forgive you, if you let him go."

Tseng was struggling to keep control over his mind. Yazoo had only used this power on him once when he'd been the remnants' prisoner – just to show him that it was impossible to resist. Now he found that his sudden longing for this beautiful creature was warring with his need to protect Reno. But he didn't want to be in the position of threatening Yazoo, because he suddenly felt that Yazoo was all he wanted. That made sense, didn't it? Yazoo was everything anyone could ever want. Tseng tried to loosen his grip on the gun, but Yazoo's fingers closed tight over his own. "I need to you do this, Tseng," Yazoo told him. Tseng relaxed. If this was what Yazoo wanted, then it must be right.

"You have to promise not to try to find him again," Loz told Yazoo. "Promise that we'll stay together. Just the two of us, until we find Kadaj."

"I promise."

Loz nodded slowly. "All right."

"Bring Reno to me," Yazoo said. Loz looked doubtful. "We need to get away," Yazoo explained. "As soon as I move away from Tseng he'll want to kill me. We'll take Reno with us until we're over the bridge, and then we'll let him go. After that it will just be you and me together, like we used to be."

"Until we find Kadaj," Loz said.

"Yes," Yazoo agreed. "Until then. Loz – bring him here."

Loz pushed Reno forwards, walking close to him, until he reached Yazoo. Yazoo took Tseng's gun from his unresisting fingers. "And your other gun?" Yazoo asked softly. Again Tseng tried to fight the impulse to obey Yazoo's every command, but the compulsion was too strong. His rational mind knew that he did not want to surrender his weapons to this enemy, but he found his body acting against his will. He put the gun into Yazoo's hand. Rude murmured, "Boss…"

"Loz," said Yazoo, "Take Rude's gun, please. Rude – give your gun to Loz, or I'm afraid I will have to shoot Tseng."

Recognising that he had no choice, Rude complied.

Yazoo turned to Reno and took his hand. Too close to Yazoo to resist, Reno found himself longing to move even closer. His mind was still half his own, thinking of ways to turn the situation around, but the other half was wondering what all the fuss was about. He should go with Yazoo – that was obvious. He belonged with Yazoo. Why couldn't Loz understand that? Surely Tseng and Rude would understand when he explained it to them.

"I – have to go with him," Reno said, smiling foolishly at Tseng. "I have to be with him."

Tseng said nothing, still caught in Yazoo's spell. Rude said, "Reno – what's wrong with you?"

Yazoo looked at Rude. "It's me, affecting him. I can't help it," he said. "I don't mean to do it – not to him. Tell him that, when he's back with you. I know you won't believe it, but I do love him, you see." He made a vague gesture with one of Tseng's guns. "Tell him I could have killed both of you, but I didn't because you're his friends."

Yazoo stepped away from Tseng, keeping hold of Reno's hand. Tseng's expression changed to disgust as he regained control of his mind and realised that he had given his guns to Yazoo. Loz kept Rude's gun trained on the Turks as he backed downhill towards the bridge, Yazoo and Reno walking beside him. Tseng and Rude stood still, watching.

At the bridge, Loz said, "I don't understand why I can't kill the others. This one matters to you, I get that, but they don't."

"They're his friends," Yazoo replied firmly. "Killing them would make him sad." He turned to Reno. "I want you to be happy," he said. "I love you. Remember that I gave you their lives."

"But I'm coming with you," Reno said, reaching to touch Yazoo's face. "I want to stay with you. I love -"

"No," Yazoo interrupted. "Don't say that until you can say it when I'm not near you." He kissed Reno's mouth once, softly, then stepped away. Reno took two steps back, the adoration in his eyes instantly changed to incandescent rage. Yazoo only smiled. "Reno," he said, "I wish you could see yourself. You're so _beautiful_ when you're angry."

Loz scowled at Reno. "Keep away from him. If I ever see you again, I will kill you," he threatened. "Come on, Yazoo. Let's go."

Yazoo gave Reno one last, lingering look, then turned away. The two remnants ran back up the slope and across the meadow, vanishing into the trees with their usual supernatural speed.

Tseng and Rude ran down the hill to Reno, who was still looking back the way Yazoo and Loz had gone. When they reached him, he turned to them, his expression bleak. "Shit," he said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't fight it. I tried – I thought I was getting better at resisting it – but –"

"I couldn't fight it either," Tseng said. "Maybe no one can. It's not your fault Reno. Whatever he did –"

Reno shook his head. "I don't want – I mean, not now. Not here. I'll – write a report. A proper one." He attempted a grin. "Spell-checked and everything. But I don't want to talk about it – not right now, Boss. Okay?"

"Okay."

Reno sighed. "And now they've got guns. And more materia."

"We'll find them," Rude said. "Come on. You need food. And sleep."

"And a damn good shower," Reno added.

"Well," said Rude with his familiar half-smile, "I wasn't going to say anything…"

* * *

**Not the end.**


	10. Over

**Well, as usual it's been a while. Thank you for all the kind reviews and faves, and thank you for sticking with this story. There is an end in sight now, but not just yet! For now, Reno thinks it's all over and he's happy about that. Isn't he? **

****  
**Chapter Ten **

**Over**

Reno's captivity had only lasted a few days, and yet returning to Edge felt disorienting. His first view of the city from the helicopter struck him with an odd sense of déjà vu as though this were a place he'd visited years ago, half-remembered or seen in a dream, instead of somewhere he'd left only a few days earlier. Reno made himself focus on familiar landmarks: the ruins of Midgar, the headquarters of the WRO, and - the tallest building in Edge, much to Reeve's annoyance - the New ShinRa building. Tseng guided to helicopter towards the helipad on the roof. Reno had wanted to fly himself, claiming to be perfectly fine after a decent meal and a good night's sleep in Icicle, but Tseng had forbidden it until he'd been properly checked over by the doctors. As the helicopter turned Reno's eyes fixed on the monument in City Square built to honour the dead of Meteor and to re-establish ShinRa's presence at the heart of Edge, now rebuilt after its destruction by Bahmut Sin. It was at the base of that monument that he'd first encountered Yazoo…

Best not to think about that. Tseng had reported the presence of Loz and Yazoo to Rufus, who had already informed Reeve, and 'a team' had been sent to pursue the remnants. Tseng had told Reno no more than that, and he hadn't asked, but Yazoo's words replayed in his mind: _A bullet might be fast enough to kill me. But death isn't the same for me as it is for you – it won't stop me coming back. _Was that true? From what they'd said, it seemed to Reno that the remnants had no idea why they'd been sent back from the Lifestream, or who had sent them. Would Yazoo really be able to will himself back into existence if he was killed, or was he fooling himself? If the remnants' return had been some kind of accidental glitch, then surely it wouldn't happen twice?

"I just want my life back!" Reno said aloud. Rude gave him a concerned look. "You okay, partner?"

"Yeah – thanks. I'm… fine. Just – it's weird, you know? Seems like I've been away so long."

"…_Too_ long, anyway," said Rude, finding something interesting to look at out of the window.

Reno grinned. "Knew you missed me."

"Yeah – well. Like I said, it's been quiet."

"Have to do something about that, then!" Reno replied, trying to focus on Rude, putting aside questions about the remnants - about _Yazoo_. "Soon as I've been cleared by medical, you can buy me a drink. Before – before all this shit happened - Elena said she heard the Goblins was reopening in Edge, this side of Johnny's?"

"Yeah. Haven't been. Kinda busy – looking for you. Someone said they found some of the original tables, and that old painting they used to have hanging up behind the bar."

"Of the Nibel mountains and that eight-legged goat with two heads?"

"That goat was –"

"- Two goats standing next to each other. Yeah, yeah. You keep telling yourself that – but there's a lot of weird shit in the Nibel mountains." Reno smiled. This was familiar. This was how things were supposed to go.

x

The doctor who checked Reno over handed her report to Tseng with a smile. "He's surprisingly fit, considering." She turned to Reno who was doing up a couple of buttons on the new shirt Rude had fetched for him. "There's no serious permanent damage and luckily no frost bite. It would have been helpful if the Cure used on your wrist had been applied earlier, but the bones have regenerated well, and any restriction in movement should be minimal. Wrists are often tricky to heal completely. Other than that – well, I can't tell you anything about your mental state unless you agree to the tests."

Reno put on his jacket without looking at her. His old uniform had been left in the trash back at Icicle Inn. It was good to feel like a Turk again. "No psych tests," he said. "I don't need that shit. I'm _fine_."

The doctor looked back at Tseng, a question in her eyes. Tseng shook his head. When it came to the psychological repercussions of their work, the Turks preferred to deal with things in their own way whenever possible.

As soon as Tseng and Reno were in the elevator on their way back to their own offices, Reno asked, "So that's it? I can go now?"

"I'd rather you wrote your report first, if you're up to it." Tseng sounded sympathetic, but Reno knew there was no point in arguing. Best to get it over with anyway – put the whole sorry affair behind him and get on with his life. Then he'd never have to write Yazoo's name again – never see that inhumanly beautiful face again – never think about him…

"Yeah," he said, wearily. "Yeah, I'll do it. Guess you can't let me out of the building 'til the debrief anyway, right?"

"Right."

Reno managed a smile. "Good to see you haven't let things slide in my absence, Boss."

Tseng raised an eyebrow. "I've done my best to cope. If everything's in order you get two days off, and then I've scheduled you to arrange the security for Rufus' meeting with the CEO of the Kalm Hydroelectric Company first thing on Tuesday."

"Ah – you're a slave-driver, you know that?" Reno replied, gratefully.

x

"Yazoo?"

"Hmm?" Yazoo looked up at Loz from his seat on a fallen pine trunk, startled out of some thought or memory which had been absorbing him so completely that he clearly hadn't heard a word of Loz's last two comments. Loz growled in frustration. He could guess exactly what – or rather _who_ – was the focus of Yazoo's preoccupation.

"I _said_, we have three guns, and more materia now. The guns are loaded. We're better off than before." He held up Tseng's matched pistols, his mood lifting as soon as he had his brother's attention. "The one I fought with before, the big one? His gun is nothing special. But _these_ are good guns," Loz grinned. "Look. One each of these."

Yazoo didn't return his smile. "Yes. He knows guns, that one we caught before. Tseng. He's a good shot. Sephiroth thought so."

Loz nodded eagerly. Yazoo thinking about Sephiroth was much better than Yazoo thinking about the red Turk. Trying to keep his brother focussed on important things – _family _things – Loz said, "So – where shall we go now? I think Kadaj will be at the Northern Cave."

Yazoo shook his head. "No. Kadaj isn't coming back."

"Just because that Turk told you Kadaj isn't coming back doesn't mean it's true! We're back – why not Kadaj? He wasn't at the Forgotten City when I looked for him, but he could be at the cave by now. We should go back – just to see if he's there."

Yazoo sighed. "They'll look for us there."

"Then we'll go quick. If he's not there we'll move on. We can be there in a day, without anyone slowing us down."

"Reno's fast, though," Yazoo said. "For a human."

Loz scowled. He hated the way Yazoo's eyes stopped seeing at him when he thought about the Turk. Seizing his brother's arms and pulling him to his feet, Loz took hold of Yazoo's chin roughly in one hand. "Look at me!" he insisted. "Look at _me_."

Yazoo blinked, focussing on Loz with an effort. "I am looking at you."

"You're thinking about _him_!"

"Yes. I'm always thinking about him. I can't help that." Gently, but coolly enough that Loz knew there was no point in arguing, Yazoo removed Loz's hand and turned away. "We'll go to the Northern cave if you like. It doesn't matter where. But if they come after us, I'll run. I won't fight Big Brother, if he comes. I have to stay alive, in case Reno was right – in case we were sent back by accident. If we get killed and trapped in the Lifestream with no way back…" Yazoo shuddered. "I have to stay alive – to wait for Reno."

"What do you mean, wait? He hates you! If he does come back it will be with weapons to kill you. When we let him go, he didn't even look round!"

Although his back was to Loz, the sudden tension in Yazoo's body showed his brother that those words had hit their mark. "I know," Yazoo said, his voice very low. "But he _will_ think about me. He will look for me, in the end. All I have to do is wait."

"But that's stupid!" Loz exclaimed. "That can't be why we're here! We need Kadaj. He can hear Mother."

"Mother's gone. Or, if not gone, then her voice is too weak to be heard." Yazoo turned back to Loz. "Don't you see? We're on our own. But that's not really all that different from how it was before, is it? I tried – so hard – to keep us together, even at the end. I tried to take Big Brother with us – you know I did. But we were only ever supposed to help Kadaj, and once he was gone there was no need for us. I never heard Mother. Not once. I listened, but I heard nothing, and I don't believe you did either."

Loz looked angry for a moment, as though he was thinking about denying the truth of Yazoo's words, but then he nodded slowly. "I never heard her. But that's because she only needed one of us to give orders. That wasn't our job. It doesn't mean she didn't – she doesn't –"

"Doesn't what?" asked Yazoo, a cynical look in his eyes that Loz found disturbing. "She doesn't _love_ us?" His laugh was bitter as he added, "We were never there to be loved – only to fight."

"But that's why _we_ had each other!" Loz exclaimed. "We always loved each other, didn't we? And we'll be all right together now." He took the materia out of the slot on the gun he'd taken from Rude and held it out to his brother. "You have this. I'm strong enough without it."

Yazoo took the glowing orb in his hand, gazing down at it thoughtfully. "It causes confusion," he said. "I already do that. I make people think they love me when they don't. You saw Tseng, back there – how he gave in to me. If anyone has cause to hate us it's him, and yet even he couldn't resist…"

"But that only works when you're very close. This can be cast. Take it."

"I'm not sure I want –"

"Why not? It's power. Remember that explosion at the end, last time? Bang! So much power!"

Yazoo gave him a cold look. "We died."

"That was the idea!"

"We failed. Even in that. We died and Cloud survived."

"And maybe that's why we've been sent back – to succeed this time!"

Yazoo frowned. "Succeed at what?"

"I – don't know yet," Loz admitted. "But whatever it is, Mother will tell us, when it's time. And we should be ready. Have the materia." Taking the lambent sphere from Yazoo's hand, Loz attempted to press it into his brother's forearm as they had both done last time. Nothing happened. Rolling back the sleeve of Yazoo's long coat, Loz tried again, pushing the materia directly against skin. Yazoo gasped, and Loz jumped back, dropping the materia.

"What's wrong? Yazoo?"

"It hurts! It burns."

"Why? It didn't before!"

"I'll try again." Yazoo retrieved the materia from the bed of last year's brown pine needles where it had fallen, and pressed it against his own arm. Slowly the small sphere dissolved into his flesh, but by the time it had been completely absorbed Yazoo was pale and shaking. "It hurts," he whispered. "Even inside – I can feel it."

"Get rid of it. I'll try instead. It's not supposed to hurt."

Yazoo closed his eyes. "It doesn't want – I can't –"

"Try. It shouldn't hurt you. I don't want it to hurt you!"

Yazoo moaned. On his arm a materia-sized lump appeared. Loz tried to close his fingers around it, but it was still beneath Yazoo's skin.

"Separate it," Loz said. "You shouldn't have to _think_!"

"I'm _trying_!" Yazoo gave a cry of pain, and the materia emerged from beneath his skin, falling to the ground again. Loz took Yazoo's wrist gently in one hand, staring at the mottled bruise that had appeared on his brother's forearm. The skin was unbroken, but the bruising was deep, red and purple.

Loz picked up the materia and attempted to push it into his own arm. The sphere sank into his flesh, through the coat, with little difficulty. "It's not like last time," he said. "It's a bit harder – as if it's pushing back. But it doesn't hurt. Why did it hurt you?"

"I don't know." Yazoo ran his fingers over the bruise on his arm. "He said he could never love me, because I wasn't even human," he murmured. "But what if I'm becoming human? Perhaps then –"

"No!" exclaimed Loz, dismayed. "You're not one of them! He will never love you."

"But we're weaker than last time. We feel pain. Our bodies are more – _present_ here than they were."

"Your power to make people do what you want is still strong. You just proved that with Tseng. I can still take the materia. We are _not_ human! Humans are weak and stupid. Mother had no long-term use for them, and neither do we!"

"I'm not Mother!" Yazoo cried. "I am not her, and I won't be Sephiroth, how ever much I might be like him! I am myself. Yazoo."

"No." Loz went to his brother, and put his arms around him. "You were never only Yazoo. You're Mother, and Sephiroth, and Kadaj and Me. Even Big Brother. All of us – together. We were never supposed to play with the humans for long. Just until we had what we needed. They would all have died anyway – when we left the sun."

Yazoo pushed Loz away, looking at him with hard, angry eyes. "That wasn't what I wanted. Not even the first time."

Loz stared at him, not understanding. "You didn't want – What? How could you not want what Mother wanted? What do you _mean_?"

"It wasn't only me. Sephiroth didn't want it either – not really. Not _only_. Why do you think he kept losing?"

"What do you mean?" wailed Loz. "You make it sound as if he _wanted_ to lose, but he didn't – he tried. Mother beat the Cetra, and they were stronger than humans."

"Yes – but she didn't beat them _all_. And they weakened her so that she couldn't come back on her own. Shinra made Sephiroth – he was part human. Perhaps I'm part human too."

"No. Sephiroth rejected that part and you don't have it."

"I think Sephiroth was torn. He wanted to be like one of them, but he never really was, even when he believed he was human. He never felt he belonged with them. He wanted contact – not with Mother – with _others_. Humans. That's what I want. Reno isn't _us_."

"But that's what I'm saying!" protested Loz, his lower lip beginning to tremble. "You don't need him. He's not us!"

"If we're meant to be alone, why can't Mother win?" Yazoo countered. "This world has always been too much for her. She knew as soon as she came here, but she couldn't travel on without this planet. There was too much life already here. Too much energy wanting to stay near the sun – the planet's own energy. But Mother is almost gone now. She tried, and she failed. She used Kadaj, and he's gone. I don't want to be - _used up_ like he was, fighting a war that's already lost."

"But I don't understand!" cried Loz, tears building in his eyes. "How can you want what Mother doesn't? It doesn't make any sense! It _hurts_ when you say these things, Yazoo. It hurts like it hurts when you look at that Turk – when you think about him instead of me. I love you! We all need you – me and Mother – Kadaj –"

Yazoo looked at his brother, his anger fading. "I'm sorry," he said. "I don't want it to hurt you. But I'm not – not a good son. Not like you and Kadaj. Even last time – when I was only half awake – I didn't do everything I could to help you. To help Her. When we were looking for Mother, didn't you ever wonder why I never made them tell me where she was?"

Loz shook his head hopelessly. "I don't understand? What –"

"Think about it! Use your brain for once!" Yazoo hissed, frustration making him cruel again. "We were just talking about my power. We had Tseng and Elena for _days_. I could have made them tell me everything, right from the start!"

Loz's mouth opened, but he couldn't seem to find words. Tears spilled out of his eyes and down his cheeks but he made no move to wipe them away. At last he took a deep, shuddering breath and forced himself to speak. "Then _why_ didn't you? I don't understand." His voice cracked as he asked, "Why would you betray us? I don't understand!"

x

Reno looked at Tseng across the desk. At least this was Tseng's office and not a cell – but he still felt like a prisoner about to be interrogated.

"I put everything in the report," he said, knowing that he sounded defensive.

"Yes. I've read it." Tseng's expression was guarded, Reno thought, remembering how he had watched from the helicopter's cockpit as the Northern Crater vanished into a blizzard beneath him, leaving Tseng and Elena alone with the three remnants. He remembered catching a glimpse of Elena's face, pale and determined, as she'd run towards the chopper carrying the sealed box containing Jenova's remains – her shouted words in his headset as she'd thrust the box into Rude's outstretched hands – "Get out!" He remembered the sound of gunshots.

Neither Tseng nor Elena had ever spoken a word about what had happened to them after that – not to Reno, anyway. Who could tell what Rufus Shinra knew?

"They never asked me any questions," Reno said. "I don't think they know what they're here for. It's not like last time. Could be a mistake that they came back at all."

"A mistake?"

"Yeah. Like – a glitch in the Lifestream. Like a power outage, or something."

"Do you have any reason to think that's the case?"

Reno looked at his hands. "Not really. Only – they don't know why they're here – I'm pretty sure about that."

"Perhaps Jenova's will is strong enough to restore them to physical existence, but not strong enough to project her intentions?"

"Who knows? Boss – I don't know. I can't tell you shit. I'm sorry. All I know is that the crazy one – Yazoo – wouldn't leave me alone until I made a deal with him, and then I kept him at bay – mostly. I nearly killed him, but he survived. I've written everything that happened in the report. Even – you know. All that fucking shit about how he said he loved me. What happened when I was out of it with the fever. I never wanted – you can't think I _wanted_… Fuck, Tseng! You don't know what it's like! You don't know what it does to your mind when he gets close –"

"I do."

Reno looked up, to find Tseng watching him intently.

"Believe me, Reno – I know. It happened yesterday, when he disarmed us. But before – when they had us prisoner…" Tseng looked away, his gaze on the distant tower of the WRO building.

"But you resisted." Reno could hardly look at Tseng; his shame was too great. "Somehow you resisted – and I couldn't." His gaze fell again, and he picked nervously at a hangnail on his thumb. When he spoke again, his voice was low. "You never told them anything. Nor did _Elena_, and I used to call her Rookie! There was nothing I could do to fight it. I'd last maybe a few seconds and then I was – I just – I would've done _anything_ he said. If he _had_ asked me questions I would've spilled in a heartbeat. Never thought I was that fucking weak. Thought I was a Turk."

"Look at me, Reno."

Reno made himself look up at Tseng, meeting his director's eyes with difficulty.

"You did nothing wrong," Tseng said, his words precise, emphatic. "I know what that power is like. Yazoo gave me a demonstration of it, when I was their prisoner – just once."

"But – you never told him anything!"

"I was about to tell him everything. I would have done whatever he asked. But he moved away before I could speak and my mind was my own again. He never came near me after that."

"But why not? I don't get it! He could've made you tell him where we were gonna take Jenova's head the minute they had you in the cave. Why wouldn't he use the power, if he had it?" Reno's eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. "Boss – when you say he gave you a demonstration – he never – ?"

Tseng shook his head quickly. "He hardly touched me. Just enough to show me that I was powerless against him. Enough to show me that I would betray Shinra and everything I held sacred without a thought of anything but him." Tseng looked away again, remembering…

…Yazoo pulled the hair back from Tseng's face where it had stuck to the dried blood on his temple. Tseng winced as the hair came free, pulling the scab off the wound, which started bleeding again. It wasn't much pain – not compared to what had already been done to him over the last days – eight? Ten? Half conscious much of the time, he'd lost track already, and he was ashamed of himself for that.

Not much pain, but enough to make Tseng's eyes water, because there was a point – he'd reached it two nights ago - where any more was too much.

"Where's Elena?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. They rarely gave him water. He hadn't seen Elena for at least four days. "Is she alive?"

Yazoo bent close, inspecting the wound. "Still clean," he said. "You won't be dying of infection, anyway."

"Elena?"

"You don't ask the questions here, Turk." Yazoo smiled, as if he'd made a joke and expected Tseng to appreciate it. "That's my job. Shall we get on with it, or are you feeling more cooperative today? The other Turks, in the helicopter, took Mother from us. We only want to know where they would have taken her. Is that unreasonable?"

"I told you," Tseng replied, "we no longer have a base. They could have taken it anywhere."

Yazoo's serene face darkened with sudden anger. "And I told _you_," he said in the soft, menacing tone Tseng had come to associate with agony, "not to call her _it_."

Tseng braced himself – couldn't help closing his eyes - but nothing happened. When he opened them again, Yazoo was watching him curiously. "You make it worse for yourself, imagining," he said. "Relax. React only to direct stimuli. I shouldn't have to tell _you_ how to deal with interrogations. You're supposed to be the expert."

"Where's Elena?" Tseng asked again.

"I could make you tell me where Mother is," Yazoo said, thoughtfully. "They didn't ask me to, but I could. I wonder whether Kadaj would be pleased, or angry? He likes me to do what I'm told." Yazoo frowned. "They both do. I'm not as strong as Kadaj or Loz, but I could make you tell me, and you'd do it without hesitating for a moment. You'd _want_ to tell me. Shall I show you?"

Tseng said nothing. Yazoo came closer and laid one gloved hand against Tseng's cheek. About to pull away, Tseng suddenly forgot why he would want to. Yazoo was gazing into his eyes, smiling slightly. "You understand now?" he asked, softly.

"Yes. Yazoo - you're –"

"I know. And now you want to tell me, don't you? Where your colleagues took her?"

"They would have taken her straight to H –"

"Ssh." Yazoo withdrew his hand, and took a step back, his eyes on Tseng's face.

"You see?"

"How?" Tseng gasped. "How did you do that? I -"

"Nearly told me everything?"

Tseng shook his head, but it was an obvious lie.

"Something beginning with 'H'?" Yazoo smiled. "Or were you going to say 'straight to Hell'? Well – we'll never know. They didn't tell me to use my power, so we won't count that little slip of yours… But I just wanted you to know – any time I like, I can make you tell me _anything at all_."

… "I almost told him where you'd taken Jenova's remains," Tseng said, looking back at Reno. "He stopped me. He moved away. I asked him why he didn't use that power – whatever it was…"

"What did he say?" Reno asked.

"He said, 'Nobody asked me. _She_ didn't ask me.' Then he left me alone. I didn't see him again. It was always Kadaj and Loz after that." Tseng held Reno's gaze, but a faint flush appeared high on his cheeks as he said, "The worst of it was that part of me wanted Yazoo to come back. If he'd used that power – if he'd _made_ me tell the truth – then it would have been over. There wouldn't have been anything I could have done. As it was, I had to keep on resisting, knowing that at any time he could come back. For all I knew, he'd already got the truth from Elena. If Valentine hadn't come for us, I don't know how long I would have been able to hold on."

Reno breathed out slowly, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, Tseng was still watching him. Reno sighed. "Yeah. That's it. The physical stuff is easy to deal with, in comparison. That thing Yazoo does - it leaves you feeling so – helpless. You have no control at all. Fuck, Boss – you don't blame yourself for thinking that shit, do you? That power of his - there's not a thing you can do against it."

"Exactly. I did blame myself. And you were blaming yourself – thinking I'd resisted when you couldn't. But you're right. I don't believe anyone could resist that force – whatever it is. Nothing that happened when you were under that – that _spell_ – is anything to be ashamed of. You fought. You survived."

"Yeah. And tonight I'm gonna go get smashed outta my skull with Rude, and forget the whole damn thing. But I wish – they weren't still out there. Loz. _Yazoo_."

"Don't worry. As I told you, Rufus has contacted Reeve. The remnants are no longer your problem, Reno."

"But - they're not going to be a pushover, even now. They're weaker than before, but still stronger and faster than any human."

"Reeve's asked Strife," Tseng said. "And Valentine."

"Strife? Again? Oh… Okay." Reno didn't understand why that idea disturbed him so much. Tseng sensed his unease. "Reno, your part in this is over. This is WRO business now. Rufus is happy to leave this one to Reeve. Let it go. Have a good time tonight."

"Thanks, Boss. I will. And thanks - for, you know…"

"Go, Reno."

Reno made for the door, but when he reached it, he hesitated, his hand on the handle. "Did – did you ever get that shit out of your head?"

"Yes," Tseng replied. "It takes time. Expect flashbacks. Nightmares. But the memories do fade."

"Right."

Reno went in search of Rude, but his mind wasn't on the coming evening in the new Goblins bar. All he could think of was Cloud Strife and Vincent Valentine on Yazoo's trail. They were the best fighters on the planet. Both of them had saved the whole fucking world! Cloud's sword and Vincent's gun would be a match even for remnants of Sephiroth. One of them would kill Yazoo, and, if the remnants' return really had been a glitch, then that would be game over. Why didn't that thought make Reno feel better? Why did the image of Yazoo cut open by Cloud's sword or pierced by Vincent's bullets give him no satisfaction? Why was the cold fear in Reno's stomach associated not with the idea that Vincent and Cloud might fail in their mission, but that they would succeed?


	11. One Step at a Time

**It's been a long time... **

**Thank you so much for the faves and reviews. I'll finish this eventually. If you're still following this story, thank you for your patience. **

* * *

**One Step at a Time**

"Reno."

"Who -?"

"You know who. Why do you fight it?"

"Sephiroth?"

"No. You can't hide behind that anymore. His memories are mine, not the other way around. I want you."

"No. I killed you once. They'll kill you, and then –"

"Then? You'll never forget me. You want me, but you want to pretend that you don't. You love me."

"No! I _hate_ –"

"How much?'

"With - everything I have!"

"So much passion! Hate me then. Try to kill me again, if you can. Perhaps this time you'll be fast enough –"

Reno flung himself on his enemy, finding that he had no weapon but his own body; fists and teeth and nails – and he was using every trick he knew – moves that would kill ordinary men – but Yazoo was too strong, too quick and the fight became a dance, settling into familiar rhythms: jab, block, hook, cross – this was like the first time, back in Edge, and the adrenaline rush that came with every good fight was filling him with a rage that tipped into euphoria, more potent than any drug.

"Come on, Turk!" Yazoo mocked, smiling. "Is that really the best you can do?"

Reno growled and charged Yazoo again, but this time as his nails raked smooth flesh, bites became fierce kisses and his breath caught on moans as their bodies slammed against each other – "No!" Reno gasped.

"You want me," Yazoo insisted. "You'll always want me."

"No! I won't – I -"

"Honey? Are you okay?"

Reno opened his eyes, the room spinning. He didn't recognise the garish flower-print wallpaper, or the pretty wide-eyed young woman who stood beside the bed wearing a pink robe, leaning over him, concerned. "It's okay," she said, as his erratic breathing calmed. "You were having a bad dream. Shouting stuff…"

"What? I… Who are you? Did we…?"

"No, Honey. I'm Charisse. I brought your friend Rude home, but you were out for the count, and he didn't wanna leave you nowhere in that state, so we put you in the spare room. You shouldn't drink so much – someone as skinny as you."

Reno blinked. The neon pinks and greens in the wallpaper intensified the ache behind his eyes. "No – you're probably right. Where's Rude?"

"Sleeping like a baby. You want breakfast?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

When Charisse had gone, shutting the door quietly behind her, Reno closed his eyes with a groan. Tseng had warned him about nightmares, but that dream hadn't been what he was expecting, and he was ashamed at the arousal he still felt remembering the images of Yazoo in his head.

x

"He's not here," Loz complained, his eyes scanning the familiar, ghost-pale trees and the silvery pools of the Forgotten City. "When he wasn't at the cave, I was sure he would be here by now."

Yazoo wandered to the edge of the largest pool and stared down into the water, remembering Kadaj and the darkness that had flowed from him as he brought the children Mother's gift last time, when their purpose had been clear. He looked back at Loz over his shoulder. "I told you – he's not coming back. We should go now."

Loz watched him warily, keeping his distance. "What if he does come?"

"He's not coming." Yazoo looked up at Loz, no anger in his tone despite the irritation he felt at Loz's constant insistence that Kadaj would return to them. "I'm sorry Loz. He's not coming. But they'll be sending people after us. We're lucky they didn't catch up with us at the cave. We need to go."

"We can kill anyone they send."

"Not anyone. Not Cloud. Not the one in the red cloak who took the Turks from us before. We couldn't kill them last time, and we're weaker now." Yazoo went to Loz and put a hand on his arm, ignoring the way Loz flinched from his touch. "I know. I know you're confused about why I did what I did – why I didn't act according to Mother's wishes when we were here last time. Sephiroth was confused too, a lot of the time. Mother wanted him to hate humanity, but he was part human. The other mother –"

"The other mother was nothing but a vessel."

"No. Not only. And there was a father. Sephiroth was more human child than Mother's child, at the start. It's only that her cells are stronger. _Were_ stronger. But now… I don't think there will be another Reunion."

"Then… the Turk was right. We don't have any reason to be here." Loz looked at Yazoo with such despair in his eyes that Yazoo wrapped his arms around his brother and held him close. "We were only Mother's remnants before," Loz said, too resigned even for tears, "But – but now we're remnants of remnants. Almost nothing."

Yazoo stroked Loz's hair. "Yes," he said, "almost nothing. But not nothing."

Loz leaned his head on Yazoo's shoulder, taking comfort in the arms of the one he'd always been closest to. Then he kissed Yazoo once, softly, and sighed, drawing one of Tseng's guns and setting the muzzle against his brother's temple. "We should go now," he said. "If Kadaj has gone already, and Mother, and Sephiroth, then we should join them. Both of us, together. Then it won't matter what you did. We'll all be together again, like we were meant to be from the start."

Yazoo froze for an instant, then pushed the gun away, very gently. "No, Loz. We have another choice. We're changing. You saw what happened with the materia. You're changing more slowly, but you are changing. We can stay here. We can learn to be like them, and in time –"

"No!" Loz shouted, letting go of Yazoo and clamping both hands over his ears, still holding the gun precariously. "Stop it! Stop talking! You said you'd find out why we came back, and you haven't! You said you'd keep me safe, but you claim you betrayed us! Now you want me to become like them – like _him_ – that Turk. It was only supposed to be a game. You were playing with him – that's all. But it's all messed up now. It's all gone wrong, and I don't – I don't like it – I don't know what to do! We have to go back – we have to find Mother. I want Mother!" Loz pointed the gun at Yazoo again, anguish on his handsome, innocent face. "I want to go home!"

Desperately Yazoo tried to think of some argument that might convince Loz to change his mind. "Please –" he began, but his words were cut off by the unmistakable and familiar sound of an approaching motorbike. Loz looked back through the trees searching for the source of the noise, and Yazoo grabbed his wrist to prevent him using the gun, begging, "Loz, please! Please don't let Cloud kill me. I can't fight him – we have to get away. If you love me, please help me."

Loz looked into his brother's beautiful eyes and saw that he was terrified. He dropped the gun and gathered Yazoo back into his arms, kissing his forehead. "Don't be frightened," he said, softly, suddenly completely calm. "I will never let any of them hurt you."

Yazoo looked up at him and for the first time since Yazoo had started playing with the Turk, Loz felt certain that his brother loved him. "Thank you," Yazoo said, smiling. "You always look after me. Now - we have to run. If we can get to Edge –"

"Not Edge." The roar of the motorcycle engine ceased. Loz turned his head and saw Cloud approaching on foot, his sword drawn and his jaw set. Beyond him something red moved through the trees.

"Somewhere else then, for now," Yazoo said urgently. "Anywhere but here! Loz –"

"Don't fight," Loz said. "I won't let anything hurt you. We'll go home, together."

"What do you mean? We have to get away! We need to leave, now!"

"I love you," Loz said, and suddenly his embrace was too hard, crushing Yazoo against him, constricting, tightening.

"Loz, stop it!" Yazoo protested, beginning, too late, to struggle. "What are you doing? I can't – I can't breath –"

"I love you," Loz said again, dragging Yazoo with him into the pool. "I'm sorry. This is the only way to save you from him – to save you from yourself. It won't hurt. All you have to do is let go." Around Loz the pool was changing, the clear water becoming black, and suddenly sparks of green light were dancing in the air – coming for Loz or from him, Yazoo couldn't tell. He gasped, his eyes wide with horror as Loz began to disintegrate into the air, into the water.

"No!" Yazoo screamed, as he felt his own body merging into his brother's, dissolving, scattering. He tried to cry out again, but his voice was fading like his body, and the sound was little more than a whisper when, with the last of the air in his lungs, he breathed, "Reno! Reno!"

x

"She has a sister," Rude said, as he and Reno made their way back to Reno's apartment. Reno laughed. "Can _she_ cook, too? That was a fucking fantastic breakfast. Lunch. Whatever."

"Don't know," Rude replied. "I'll let you know when I meet her next weekend."

"Whoa!" Reno cried. "Meeting family already? Hope I'm gonna be your best man."

"You think I'd trust you with the speech?"

"I can be tactful. Give the right compliments. Praise the bride's extraordinarily large – breakfasts."

"Yeah," Rude nodded. "That's why not."

"Seriously?"

"Tseng would be so much classier."

"Pft. Who wants class when you can have –"

Rude's ringtone interrupted them. "Talk of the devil," Rude said, when he saw Tseng's number. Reno watched carefully as Rude listened to Tseng, but his expression was hard to read. He was surprised by what he was hearing, that much was clear, but whether it was good or bad news, Reno couldn't tell.

When the call was over, Rude put the phone back into his pocket and said, "That was Tseng."

Something in his tone made Reno's heart lurch. "What's up?"

"Reeve just reported that the remnant problem has been dealt with."

Reno tried to focus on Rude, but he felt weirdly light-headed and dizzy, as though his hangover had returned full force. "So soon?" he asked.

"Yeah. Apparently Cloud and Vincent Valentine tracked them to the Northern Cave, and, from there, to the Forgotten City. They sure covered a lot of ground in two days."

"They can," Reno said. "Could."

"Tseng will give you the details on Tuesday, when you go back in."

"Right. But - they're definitely dead?"

"Yes. If they were ever alive."

"Yeah. And Yazoo? I mean - they're _both_ dead?"

"Yes. Don't worry. It's over."

"Yeah. Yeah. Well that's –"

"Must be a relief."

"A relief. Yeah. Rude – thanks – you know, for not leaving me last night when I was out of it, yeah? And, sorry – cramping your style with Char. She's nice. You get home, okay? I'm just gonna sleep some more. That was one hell of a hangover, man."

Rude looked at Reno carefully. "You okay?"

Reno knew there was no point lying – Rude was one of the few people who could read him every time. "Not great. Will be. Seriously – I'll be fine. Just – some stuff to think about, yeah? I mean, I knew it was over, but now - it's really over."

Rude nodded, but made no move to leave.

"Go! I'll be okay. It's only that – I always finish the job, yeah? You know that. We _always _finish the job – and now –"

"This one wasn't your job, Reno. Let it go."

"You're right. I know."

Rude checked his watch. "Get some sleep. I'll be back at yours at six. We're going out again tonight. Elena, too."

Reno forced himself to sound cheerful. "Ha! Knew she missed me. Okay – see you at six."

Although Rude didn't look back, Reno could tell that his partner was reluctant to leave him on his own.

Locking the door of his apartment behind him, Reno leaned against it and breathed out, closing his eyes. "Over," he said aloud. "Bastard's dead. Good fucking riddance." There was a strange hollow feeling in his chest, and an ache behind his eyes that had nothing to do with the hangover, but he blinked hard and pushed off the door angrily, going to the kitchen to make coffee, pacing the living room, switching the TV on and off again, perching on the arm of the couch to roll a cigarette, stalking out onto the balcony to smoke it.

"Fuck this." Stubbing out the cigarette on the polished steel of the balcony railing, Reno went back inside, rummaging in cupboards until he found a bottle of whiskey left over from some poker night back when everything was normal. Leaning on the kitchen counter, he raised the bottle in a salute. "Cloud – Vincent – cheers!" he said, drinking deep. It wasn't good whiskey, but he told himself that the burn at the back of his throat was what he wanted. Now he could get properly wasted and celebrate his freedom from the remnants. From Yazoo.

"That's what this is," he muttered, swallowing more of the terrible whiskey – "Goddamn celebration. It's over. He's dead. Gone." Fury surged through him and he hurled the bottle against the opposite wall. By some fluke it bounced instead of smashing and landed near his feet, barely a drop spilled. A harsh laugh burst out of him. "Can't get rid…" He picked up the bottle and sat on the cold tiles of the kitchen floor, his back against the counter, and drank the rest of the whiskey in one go. "Gone," he said, tossing the bottle aside. This time it broke into two pieces with an unsatisfying flat crack. "Gone. Should be happy. Why ain't I fuckin' happy?"

x

Yazoo opened his eyes to nothing but blank, bright whiteness. His body seemed suspended but he had no sense of direction or gravity. He felt no pain – no physical sensation at all – and although he knew that he wasn't breathing there was no feeling of suffocation or panic, only consciousness, and a distant, pervasive sense of loss.

"Yazoo – let go. Come back to us." Not Loz's unhappy plea, nor Kadaj's petulant demand, but a voice full of cold authority.

"Sephiroth?"

"You were never meant to go back."

"So – why…?"

"An accident. Shed those borrowed human cells, and return to us."

"No. It wasn't an accident. Part of you wanted to go back – to find him again."

In his mind Yazoo heard Sephiroth's laughter and was unmoved by it.

"If you return you can take nothing of us with you." There was a note of mocking sorrow in Sephiroth's voice, but Yazoo remained resolved.

"I know."

"You will throw your life away for nothing. He will always hate you. If you find him, he'll kill you. You'll be as weak as they are, and he's strong, for one of their kind. You'll die alone, as one of them - and the Lifestream annihilates them."

"I'd rather risk oblivion than never try."

"Then you're no better than them – weak and stupid."

"You yearned to feel the same as them – to belong with them."

"The mako purged me of that folly. I returned to Mother and my true destiny."

"But where did my rebellion come from, if not from you?"

"Perhaps it was a taint – an echo of my human weakness. You must chose, now, and irrevocably. Leave all that may have been infected by humanity behind, and return to us, purged – or take what is human, and lose everything else."

Sorrow and fear filled Yazoo. "Is Loz with Kadaj now?" he asked.

Sephiroth's voice changed; became four voices, one of which Yazoo had never heard, but somehow recognised instantly. Although her voice was very faint – almost a whisper – her gentle tone made his heart ache. "We are all together. We are one, always. Come back to us: brother – lover – son."

"Mother!"

All the voices replied, speaking together. Sometimes Yazoo recognised Kadaj's voice, sometimes Sephiroth's, and under both the whisper of the mother he had never known - but it was Loz's misery that called to him most powerfully. "Come home, Yazoo. If you leave us, you will die. You will be nothing but a memory. The human will never love you. We love you. Play with us. Don't leave us. Come back to us!"

"No!" In Yazoo's mind the word was a cry that silenced the other voices, although his body remained motionless and his lips never moved. "I'm not a part of you any more. Let me go. Let me go!"

Yazoo opened his eyes, although he'd thought they were already open, and found himself falling – sinking –

Yazoo gasped and choked on icy water. Coughing and shuddering in the biting cold, he struggled to his feet and discovered that he was naked, waist-deep in the forest pool, a remote, bright moon shining down upon him. For some time he stood still, aching with new feelings of pain, acutely aware of the pressure, the _cold_ and the _wet_ of the water surrounding him as he fought to drag breath into his burning lungs. Every part of him experienced sensation in a way he had never felt as a remnant – his nerves seemed aflame. How did humans live like this? How was existence possible so intimately connected with the physical world? Yazoo understood that his human body wouldn't survive for long in water this cold, but movement seemed impossible; it was enough of a feat simply to stand still and breath.

But movement was necessary to survival. With all the strength he could muster, Yazoo forced himself to wade towards the bank, pain lancing through his bare feet as he stumbled over sharp rocks. At last he reached the grassy bank and crawled out of the water. He lay still for a long time, breathing, breathing. Every inhalation and exhalation caused a roaring in his ears. The pounding of his heart was a relentless drumbeat. So strange, to be human! How had Reno ever survived the snowfields? The humans' physical frailties forced them to endure in ways Yazoo had never considered.

Thoughts of Reno made Yazoo remember his immediate situation. He staggered to his feet, looking around, frightened, but there was no sign of Cloud or the red-cloaked gunman who had been pursuing them. Loz was gone, Yazoo was certain of that. The voices he had heard had not been hallucinations caused by almost drowning; Loz had gone home, and Yazoo was alone. Yazoo looked at his hands in the moonlight. Already breathing and moving were becoming easier – more natural. "I'm human!" he exclaimed, and his voice sounded very small, lost in the vastness of the ancient forest.

x

Only the fact that the bottle of whiskey had been all the alcohol in the apartment kept Reno from drinking himself into oblivion. He checked his watch and discovered that he still had three long hours to fill before Rude and Elena were due to call for him. His mind wouldn't stop creating images of the remnants' last moments - or rather, Yazoo's last moments. How had he died? Had he been fighting or running? Had he been killed by Cloud's sword, or Valentine's bullets? With a sick feeling in his stomach, Reno remembered the report he'd read after Zack Fair's death. His body had dissolved into the Lifestream, but the numbers of soldiers killed and the list of ammunition expended had told their own grizzly tale. Reno knew first hand how difficult Yazoo must have been to kill. He wasn't human, but he could feel pain. How long had it taken?

_What the hell do I care?_ Reno wondered, picking himself up from the kitchen floor and pacing again. _I _don't_ care. Fuck – I hope it hurt. I hope he suffered. He deserved… But it shouldn't have been Cloud, or Valentine. That's the only reason it bothers me – because it should've been me._ _Nothing else. I hope they fucking cut him to pieces – _

But Reno's mind shied away from that image. He'd seen enough people die in his time – he'd killed plenty of them himself – but he couldn't bring himself to imagine Yazoo wounded, that perfect beauty destroyed. "The fuck is _wrong_ with me?" Reno shouted aloud. "Get out of my fucking head!"

Tseng had ordered him to take time off until Tuesday, but he knew he'd never be able to get these stupid thoughts of Yazoo's death out of his mind until he knew what had happened in the forest. At least if he saw the report he'd know the worst – the _facts_, he told himself angrily. Not the _worst_ – the _facts_.

Reno went to get changed into his uniform, feeling a little more normal once he was dressed. Then he picked up his phone and his New Shinra card key, and left the apartment in search of answers he was half afraid to learn.

Tseng looked up as Reno strode into the office, masking his concern beneath an assumed expression of irritation. "I thought I said I didn't want to see you until Tuesday."

"Yeah, I know. But I need – I want to see the report. Strife's – Valentine's – whoever. I want to know how it happened."

Tseng hesitated, but finally sighed and nodded. "All right. If it will help."

"It will."

Tseng turned back to his laptop, and Reno heard the hum of the printer. Tseng retrieved a sheet of paper from the machine and handed it to Reno.

"Thanks – I – I'll be in my office." Reno couldn't bring himself to read the report in front of an audience – even one as understanding of the situation as Tseng.

Alone at his desk, Reno scanned the report. Valentine had written it. It was very short. It made no sense to Reno. He read it again, jumped to his feet and went back to Tseng's office, flinging open the door without knocking. "What the hell is this?"

Tseng closed his laptop slowly. "It's Vincent Valentine's report on the deaths of the remnants Loz and Yazoo."

"But – it says – they didn't kill them? _Loz_ killed them? Without a fight? That's bullshit! It can't be true! Why would he do that? He loved – I mean – Yazoo was all he cared about. He'd never hurt him. I don't believe it."

"Why would Valentine lie?"

"I don't know." Reno stared at Tseng. "I don't get it. What – Why would Loz -?"

"I can't tell you that. But you said yourself that they didn't know why they'd been sent back. Perhaps they concluded that it was a 'glitch', as you put it. Although it seems that Yazoo was reluctant to die – at least at the end. Perhaps it was a kind of suicide pact, but Yazoo changed his mind at the last moment?"

"No," said Reno instantly. "He'd never agree to that. He wouldn't leave without –"

"Without?"

"I need to see Valentine."

"Without what?" Tseng persisted. "Without _you_?"

Reno was silent, eyes on the floor.

"How does that make you feel?" Tseng asked.

Reno's head jerked up then, his eyes flashing. "Fuck, Tseng! Don't come that shrink crap. I don't know, okay? I hate him, but – but he's in my head. That thing he did – that power… What if it builds up until it gets inside you even when he's not there?"

"He's dead, Reno."

"But – what if it's a – an infection? Like geostigma?"

Tseng shook his head. "All the tests we ran on you came back normal. If he's in your head, I'd say it was psychological trauma. I can get an expert to see you –"

"No! No way. I'm okay. I just need to talk to Valentine. Once I know exactly what happened I'll be able to forget about it. Do you have a number for him?"

Reno could see the doubt in Tseng's eyes. "Boss – it's me. I ain't crazy. You always said I could never keep my nose out of anything. I just – I have to _know_, yeah? I'll be fine once I know."

Tseng wrote a number on a leaf from a notepad and handed it to Reno.

"Thanks," Reno said, already turning away.

Tseng watched him leave, his expression grim. He flipped open his PHS and his thumb hovered over Rufus' number for long seconds before he settled on calling Rude.

x

Vincent Valentine still wore his outlandish costume, Reno noted, but the sight didn't amuse him as it might once have done. He knew how deadly the gunman could be. Despite his flamboyant appearance however, Vincent was all business as he showed Reno into a small, shady office on the fifty-second floor of the WRO headquarters.

"How can I help you?" Vincent didn't smile, but his expression wasn't hostile either.

"I read the report," Reno explained. "I just want to know what happened – exactly. Why would Loz kill Yazoo?"

"I don't know. When we approached they were standing at the edge of the pool, and it looked as though they were embracing. Then Loz pulled Yazoo into the water, and it became apparent that Yazoo was struggling, but by that time they were already disintegrating. It seemed unnecessary for us to attack."

"What do you mean, disintegrating?" Reno asked.

"Disolving – into the water and the air."

"Oh – yeah. I saw Kadaj do that once at Healen. He came right through the door – through the cracks in the frame – like smoke. But he reformed on the other side."

"This was different. Cloud said he'd seen it before - Kadaj did the same after Cloud defeated Sephiroth. Lifestream energy, green, glowing like sparks, and then nothing. It was quick – a few seconds. There was nothing left of either of them. We waited for an hour, but they had vanished. Cloud said that when it happened to Kadaj, it was peaceful."

"But it wasn't peaceful for Yazoo. He didn't want to go," Reno said.

"No. I think he was frightened. And there's something I left out of the report that I think you should know. Cloud had circled around to get behind them in case we needed to fight, so he didn't hear or see it, but I think that Yazoo said your name twice, before he vanished."

"My name?"

"Yes. It was too quiet for me to hear, but I saw his lips moving. He said 'Reno', twice."

"My name? You're sure?"

"Almost certain."

"But not certain enough to put it in the report."

"Not one hundred percent certain, no. Is it likely?"

"Yeah," said Reno, unable to give a name to the emotion that assailed him. "Yeah, it's likely. He was crazy. Had some kind of obsession – But it don't matter. They're dead now. They were never even alive, really, were they?"

Vincent gave Reno a cool smile. "I suppose there are degrees of that," he said.

"Shit, man, sorry! I didn't mean – I was forgetting." Reno felt ashamed of himself. Was he really so wrapped up in thoughts of Yazoo that he'd just insulted the man he owed so much?

"It's all right. Not being entirely human has some advantages," Vincent said.

"Right. And – never saw you after, but I wanted to say thanks – you know, for Tseng, and Elena."

Vincent nodded. "I was a Turk once," he said.

Reno didn't voice his immediate, bitter thought, but he couldn't unthink it: _yeah, well, so was I_.

As he walked home, he told himself that he was being stupid – of course he was still a Turk – these disturbed thoughts were just some mild sort of trauma, and he'd soon recover. All he had to do was focus on _now_ – take things one day at a time. _I'll go out this evening, with Rude and Elena, _he thought. _Maybe meet some girl – Who knows, might get lucky, and meet one like Char! _

But underneath the suspicion nagged at him – _Yazoo's infected me – his power is irresistible – I'll never get him out of my head. _And buried deeper still was a terrible feeling of loss, and an insidious whisper: _he said my name. He was dying, and he wanted me, and I wasn't there._


End file.
